The Nature of Magic, Book One: On Borrowed Wings
by Firehawk242
Summary: Fifteen years have passed since the Winx brought magic back to Earth. Now a new group of fairies must fill their shoes, but one of these girls is less than she seems. She must earn her own wings, but at what price?
1. Welcome to Alfea!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Winx Club. If I did Nabu would still be alive, season two would make sense, and Roxy would be a major character in season five.**

Amelia gazed up at the gates of her new school. Alfea! Where the famous Winx Club graduated from, and now taught. Their exploits were legendary. They had brought magic back to not one but two worlds, saved the magic dimension more times than anyone cared to count, and reached fairy levels most only dreamed about. And now they were the most famous teachers in the realm of Magix, with the possible exception of Headmistress Faragonda.

The doors opened and she stepped into the courtyard. Other young fairies milled about the quad, chatting with friends. Just inside the gates stood the head of discipline, Tecna. Everyone had been astonished when the old head of discipline, the irascible Griselda, had stepped down three years ago. Now Tecna was in charge of discipline. Nothing got past her and her army of technological minions. But, she was a lot less inflexible than Griselda was, and on a few occasions she'd turned a blind eye to some minor, and some not so minor, infractions.

"Greetings Professor Tecna, I'm here for my first year at Alfea."

"And your name is?"

"Amelia, from the planet Oppositus."

A string of numbers seemed to flash through Tecna's eyes as she accessed the school's records.

"Ah yes. Amelia. Age sixteen. Planet Oppositus. Fairy of Earth and Sky. Daughter of Aurena and Terro. Welcome to Alfea."

"Um, yes, that's me. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Tecna said as she turned to the next fairy in line.

* * *

Amelia wandered the courtyard aimlessly, hoping to meet someone she knew. Alas, there was no one. Anxiously she fingered her earrings the way she always did when she was nervous. Her grandmother had given them to her just days before she died, and Amelia treasured them above all her other possessions. They were somewhat odd, but they perfectly represented her home. The left one held a small stone of pure black, while the right held a stone that was identical save that it was a white so pure it seemed to glow. Opposites together.

Her internal monologue came to a sudden halt when she literally stumbled over another fairy. The fairy was lying on her stomach with a book in front of her. As far as Amelia could tell, the girl hadn't even noticed when Amelia's foot hit her side, causing her to fall atop the reader.

"Sorry, I didn't see you there." She said as she picked herself up.

The girl didn't answer. She didn't even look up from her book. She just turned the page and continued reading.

"Umm, are you alright?" Amelia asked in a nervous tone.

The girls still didn't answer. She just continued reading.

"Oookay. I'll take that as a yes."

"Don't worry about it, Perdi's in her own little world." A voice called out. "She probably won't come out until she reaches the end of the chapter. Hi, I'm Artis, fairy of Mist. And that's Perdilla, fairy of Knowledge."

"My name's Amelia, fairy of Earth and Sky."

"Oh, that's cool. You're from Oppositus?"

"Yeah, and you?"

"Teylan, the realm of the unknown. Perdilla's from Intenia, realm of information."

"So, how long until she surfaces? I want to apologize for falling on her."

"It could be hours, depending on the book, but I wouldn't bother. It happens to her all the time. That's actually how I met her."

"Well, I still feel like I should do something for her."

"...Who?" Perdilla looked up from her book, having just reached the end of her chapter.

"I tripped and landed on top of you."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was in the way. I didn't even notice you."

"I told you it happens to her a lot." Artis was chuckling at Amelia's expression. "Don't worry, she's tougher than she looks."

"Really, I didn't even feel it. By the way, I'm Perdilla, but everyone calls me Perdi."

"I'm Amelia."

"So, Amelia, Perdi, you guys want hang out? We still have a few hours before we need to report to our dorms."

"Can I join you?" The voice was painfully shy, almost coming out as a squeak. "My name's Dhalia, wi- Fairy of Electricity."

She didn't look like a typical fairy. She had this slightly depressed air about her, and her clothing was dark.

"Oh, you're a transfer student from CT." Perdi said tactlessly. "Sure, you can join us."

Dhalia winced. Transfer students were rare and usually faced intense prejudice. Even Dhalia's aunt Mirta, the first such transfer student, had suffered a great deal of abuse despite the full support of the Winx.

"Perdi!" Artis bestowed a ferocious glare on the oblivious fairy. Getting no response, she turned to Dhalia. "Sorry about Perdi. She doesn't pay much attention to manners. Of course you can join us."

"You don't have a problem with me being from Cloud Tower?"

"Nope!" Amelia jumped in. "I'm from Oppositus, so having you around actually makes me feel better. You help balance out the magic here."

"And my cousin transferred from Alfea to Cloud Tower about six years ago." Artis explained. "Graduated fourth in her class, too. As for Perdi, she's not going to care in the slightest."

Dhalia heaved a sigh of relief. Not everyone was going to be so accepting.

The four chatted for a time. Well, Artis, Amelia, and Dhalia chatted. Perdi dove back into her book. Suddenly a hole in the air opened above the group, and a fairy fell through it. Of course she landed on Perdi, who took no notice of the event. Amelia and Artis broke out laughing.

"Ow!"

"Hi there. Don't worry about Perdi. You're actually the third person to land on her today. My name's Artis."

The new girl stood up, rubbing her back. "I'm Reyva, fairy of Space. Clearly I need to work on that spell."

"I know the feeling. My name's Amelia, and this is Dhalia. Are you here for the new Alfea school year?"

"Yes, I need to check in with Professor Tecna."

"Umm, Reyva, turn around."

Tecna was standing behind the young girl, a disapproving look on her face. "Miss, I know it's your first day, but when teleporting into Alfea it's considered proper etiquette not to land on your fellow students."

Reyva was quaking in fear, clearly expecting Tecna to hand out some form of severe punishment. Suddenly Tecna's face melted into a grin.

"In fact, it's considered good form to land on a teacher." The girls looked at her in shock. "How did you think Professor Wizgiz got so short? Reyva, you may consider yourself checked in." She then turned and walked away. These girls would go far, she thought. It would take a little bit of a reshuffle, but she was going to make sure they ended up in the same dormitory. Alfea needed a new team of young fairies to take up the role of heroes.

**A/N: Tecna has a sense of humor! Who knew? Speaking of which, one of the OCs you've just met is me making fun of myself. Try and guess who it is.**

**In other news, there is no art for this story, simply because I have no artistic skill to speak of. (Well I am decent wood carver, but that's not really relevant.) If anyone wants to create some art for this story, go ahead. If I like it I might even use it for the title card. So, please, send me your art.**

**Profile:**

**Amelia:  
Appearance: Shoulder-length light brown hair, with brown eyes so dark they're almost black. Light skin color, about average height, slightly thinner than average.  
Powers: Earth and Sky. She can control both earth and air. This is because of her home world Oppositus, a place where opposites coexist in perfect harmony.**

**Perdilla(Perdi):  
Appearance: Short but extremely wild black hair. (Think Einstein levels of wild hair.) Her eyes are a very, very pale grey, and her skin is so light it's almost luminescent. She actually has a permanent sun blocking spell on her, thanks to her mother, because otherwise she'd get so badly burned it might be fatal. Very tall and skinny, but not much in the way of muscle.  
Powers: Knowledge. She draws her power from knowledge, such as books. Don't even think about fighting her in a library, unless you have a death wish.**

**Artis:  
Appearance: Waist-length perfectly straight hair the color of fog, with eyes that change between grey and black according to her mood. Her skin is dusky, and she's a little shorter than Amelia, but she's ever so slightly chubby.  
Powers: Mist. She can summon and control mist, fog, smoke, etc. You will never see her coming.**

**Dhalia:  
Appearance: Purple hair so frizzy it's almost an afro. (Think Stormy's hairstyle, but less horizontal.) Her eyes are a dark blue, and her skin is very heavily tanned. She's also very short compared to the others, despite being a year older than they are. Neither thick nor thin, she has an average build.  
Powers: Electricity. Her power is more subtle than Stormy's, focusing less on lightning and more on the sort of electricity you use in your house.**

**Reyva(Rey):  
Appearance: ****_Very_**** short (about one inch long) hair the color of starlight. Light blue eyes, and pitch black skin. Taller than average, she's rather heavily muscled, as in "I could break you in half" muscled. She probably has less than six grams of excess fat on her body.  
Powers: Space. She can open portals and manipulate gravity, or fire a beam of solar wind. However, she prefers to just punch you into another universe.**


	2. Home Sweet Home

**Disclaimer: I don't own Winx Club. Probably never will own Winx Club. **

**Before I go any further, I would like to thank, or maybe blame, Akela Victoire for providing the inspiration for this story. I was reading her story(Parody? Anthology?) "Magic Winx! Fanfictionix!" when the idea for this story came to me, and then it got stuck in my head, refusing to leave until I did something about it. So, yeah. If you haven't seen her work, I highly recommend checking it out simply for the humor factor, particularly her story "Oh My Dragon! There are Fanfictions of Us!" which is flat out hysterical. If you like this, be sure to check her stuff out. If you don't like this, you can take comfort in the fact that she and I have ****_extremely _****different writing styles, so you should still take a look at her work. Now, back to the story.**

Amelia and Artis were making their way to their dorm, dragging an oblivious Perdi between them.

"You'd think she'd stop reading long enough to get to her room." Amelia complained.

"I don't think she'd stop reading if you set fire to her hair."

The trio had just come from Ms. Faragonda's welcome speech. Officially Faragonda was still headmistress of Alfea, but her health had been poor for the last two years, so most of the day-to-day duties were handled by either Flora or Musa, depending on what was needed. They had a well established "Good Teacher, Bad Teacher" routine in place. Of course, they also held other positions. All the Winx did. Tecna taught technical magic, Flora was in charge of potions and nature lessons, Musa's class was pretty much Magic 101, where she taught the basics of magic to freshman fairies, Aisha was the Physical Education teacher, and Bloom was in charge of combat training. Stella was the only Winx without a regular class, but Tecna would often send some of the more severe offenders to Stella. By the time Stella was done with them their own parents wouldn't have recognized them. Usually the trauma of the extreme makeover was enough to convince the errant fairy to follow the rules.

"Well, we're here. Hey look, we're room mates!" Amelia said.

"Hey there." Amelia turned to see Reyva standing behind her. "Dhalia and I are in the room just across the hall. What a coincidence, huh?"

Perdi closed her book at that exact moment. "Huh? Where are we? Oh, dorms! Right! So, where's my room?"

"Right here." Artis said. "It's attached to Amelia's and my room. Hey, you got a single!"

"Huh? Oh, yes, otherwise I wouldn't have space for my books." Amelia, Artis, and Reyva laughed. Even Dhalia gave a little chuckle. "What's so funny?"

"Well, we better get settled in," Amelia said, "classes start tomorrow."

* * *

Soon each room had the personal touch of the fairy occupying it.

Dhalia's area had numerous static electricity generators. Most were the sort of toy you'd buy in a museum gift shop to put on your desk, but some were actually dangerous. Dhalia made sure to put up warning signs.

Reyva's half of the room had numerous mobiles hanging from the ceiling, each representing a different solar system or constellation. You had to watch out or you might get smacked in the head by Proxima Centauri.

Artis had somehow smuggled a fog machine past campus security, and now was using it to fill her half of the room with a thin mist. Fortunately for Amelia, Artis set up a magical barrier to keep the fog on her side of the room, otherwise she might have gotten lost in her own bedroom.

Amelia's portion of the dorm had various symbols from her homeworld. There was the classical Ying-Yang, but also a set of scales, a picture of Oppositus's famous Burning Lake, and her favorite, a painting of a floating mountain.

Perdi's room was...impressive. The walls had been replaced with bookshelves. More bookshelves actually hung from the ceiling, and even Perdi's bed doubled as a bookcase. And they were all full. Row after row of books. According to Perdi, the room currently held seven thousand three hundred and eighty four books. Which meant she'd had to leave more than three quarters of her collection at home. Needless to say she was rather distraught about this.

* * *

Flora was wandering around the dorms helping the new fairies settle in. A thought occurred to her. _Hey, there's a new group of fairies in our old dorm this year. I wonder who ended up there?_ She'd have to ask Tecna. After all, she was in charge of such things.

* * *

"Tecna, I was wondering, who did you put in our old rooms this year?" Flora asked. The old Winx rooms had faded into a certain level of obscurity over the years, but they still seemed to have their own special magic. Five groups of fairies had passed through them since the Winx, and each set of girls had gone on to do great things. One became a popular rock band, another founded a society which had saved numerous species from extinction, and one group had brought about an end to a civil war.

"Oh, hello Flora." Tecna was rushing about. The first day was always hectic for the head of discipline. She'd already dealt with three pranks which involved painting Alfea, two cases of killer makeup (don't ask, you really don't want to know), and seven incidents where some poor girl got turned into a potted plant. "I'm sorry Flora, what was the question?"

"Our old rooms. Who did you put there?"

"Oh, our old rooms. Yes, I saw a group of girls out on the quad earlier. They reminded me of us when we first met, so I decided to put them in our old rooms."

"Who are they?" Bloom asked, walking into the room.

"Amelia, Artis, Reyva, Perdilla, and Dhalia. Tell Stella her old room's been turned into a library."

Neither Flora nor Bloom even tried to hold back their laughter. It was going to be an interesting year.

**Okay, you guys win. It's Perdi who's pretty much me making fun of myself. Was it really that obvious? Man, I really need to work on subtlety. In any case, the next chapter will see the story really begin. One of the five is an ordinary girl, but she doesn't know she's ordinary. No, I'm not going to tell you, and no, I'm not going to reveal who it is for several more chapters. Please keep your guesses to yourselves, because I will not answer them. I just hope it's not as obvious as Perdi was. See you all next chapter.**


	3. Battle Training with Bloom (Ouch!)

**Disclaimer: I don't own Winx Club. If I did the Trix would be dead (not because I don't like them, but they've been stomped flat so many times it's stupid), Darkar would never have existed, and neither would Tritanus. But I don't, so the Trix live, Darkar exists, and Tritanus gets high on garbage. And now I've managed to make myself depressed. So let's get to something a little more fun. You remember how I said Bloom did combat training...**

"Next group!"

Bloom was going through the freshman class like a buzzsaw through paper. And she hadn't even bothered to transform. Amelia looked at her friends.

"Let's get this over with. Someone take that book away from Perdi so we can get started." Amelia said.

"I'll get Perdi," Reyva said, "but you're coming with me Artis."

"Oh no." Artis was waving her hands in a helpless gesture. "You're on your own here Rey."

"...What?" Perdi looked up from her book.

"Oh good. Put that down." Artis commanded.

"...Why?"

"Because the lesson's about to start!"

"Well why didn't you say so?"

"Hey, where's Dhalia?" Reyva asked.

"Here!"

"What are you doing with that balloon?" Amelia was very confused. What was Dhalia, the most dour of the group, doing with a bright pink balloon?

"Trying to build up a charge. Maybe I can use it to boost my powers."

Artis laughed. "Bloom's not that bad, and even if she was, do you really think a _balloon_ would make a difference?"

"I guess not." Dhalia hung her head sheepishly.

"Let's get started." Amelia said. "Reyva, grab Perdi please, she's about to go for the book again."

They walked into the ring where Bloom stood.

Bloom set out the rules. "Alright girls. You have five minutes before I start counterattacking. The lesson ends when none of you are able to maintain your fairy form. You will be graded on effort, but if anyone actually scores a hit on me they will get extra credit. You have one minute to prepare."

"She's too powerful. We can't win." Dhalia said.

"Maybe we can win, or at least score, if we use misdirection." Artis said.

"Go on..." Reyva's voice had a hungry edge to it. Reyva didn't like to lose.

* * *

"Time's up!" Bloom said. "You may begin attacking whenever you're ready, but in five minutes I'll start fighting back."

"Magic Winx!" Five voices cried out.

(Cue transformation music)

Now five fairies stood, or rather hovered, in front of Bloom.

Amelia's outfit would give Stella hives. A white top with a black skirt, a black shoe on her left foot and a white one on her right, and the same pattern was repeated with her gloves. "Amelia, Fairy of Earth and Sky!"

Artis was wearing a jumpsuit the exact color of her hair. If it wasn't for her face you'd think she'd turned into a cloud. "Artis, Fairy of the Mist!"

Perdi was wearing a one piece shirt and skirt combination. It was the color of paper, with black trim. However, Perdi had accessorized with a lab coat. Yes, a lab coat. "Perdilla, Fairy of Knowledge!"

Dhalia's dress was fairly simple, just a light purple top with a slightly darker purple skirt. Of course, her wings were shaped like electrical arcs, but hey, you can't have everything. "Dhalia, Fairy of Electricity!

Reyva's outfit looked like a very glamorous set of workout clothes. The tight fitting top and shorts were black with multi-colored sparkles scattered across them. "Reyva, Fairy of Space!"

"All right girls, remember the plan!" Artis yelled. She called on her powers and suddenly the area was covered in a thick mist.

"Right!" Reyva's magic began to enhance the pull of gravity on Bloom, but Bloom simply stood there, completely unperturbed.

"My turn." Dhalia said. She channeled electricity into the fog that surrounded Bloom. It wasn't enough to create lightning bolts, but it did make Bloom's hair stand on end, making her look like a very red sea urchin.

"Let's go!" Amelia used her two magic abilities to good effect, blasting Bloom from behind with a gust of wind while simultaneously causing the ground beneath Bloom's feet to shift. Bloom tripped.

"Now Perdi!" The four yelled.

"Lingual Shock!" Perdi erupted from the fog, throwing a blast of literary magic at the off-balance professor. The blast almost hit. But at the last second Bloom threw up a force field, deflecting the attack into the sky. The heat from her magic burned away the fog, leaving the air clear.

"Darn it, I thought we had her!" Artis exclaimed.

"Not a bad attempt." Bloom said. "Very clever use of your respective abilities, particularly the way Amelia combined her powers to knock me off balance. However, the lesson's not over. You have three minutes before I start fighting back."

"Okay girls," Reyva shouted "plan B!"

This time Amelia, Artis, and Dhalia focused their powers into the creation of a tornado of fog. Electricity crackled in the spinning pillar of mist, and they sent it towards Bloom. Her shield held off the tornado, but Perdi was firing energy blasts at Bloom from various angles. In all the chaos Reyva vanished.

Suddenly a hole in the air appeared inside Bloom's shield. Reyva burst through the portal. "Solar Wind Blast!" She shouted. A beam of solar radiation flew from her hand to a rather surprised Bloom. The shot connected, leaving Bloom's shirt smoldering slightly.

"Very good!" Bloom said. "But your five minutes are up."

* * *

Thirty seconds later and all five of the girls were flat on their backs, gasping for breath. Bloom stood over them.

"Very well done, all of you. You realized that pure force was not the answer, and used your different powers to keep me distracted long enough for you to actually hit me. You showed excellent teamwork, and you will all get the extra credit I promised. Now, I'm sure you must be tired. Go and rest."

"Yes Professor Bloom." The five battered girls trooped into the great hall.

"YES!" Reyva yelled. "We did it!"

"You set her shirt on fire. Then she mopped the floor with us." Dhalia reminded her.

"So? We still scored a hit on BLOOM!"

"I agree, this calls for a celebration." Artis said. "We have tomorrow off, let's go to Magix! We can eat out, do some shopping, see a movie, or maybe go dancing."

"Alright, sounds good." Amelia said. Then a thought occurred to her. "Perdi? No books."

"Oh, come on!" Perdi wailed. "Now I'll never catch up on my reading!"

The other four started laughing. With light hearts and sore bodies they went to their rooms and collapsed.

* * *

Bloom met up with Tecna after her class ended.

"That's the first time any freshman fairy has scored a hit on you in four years Bloom. You're getting sloppy." Tecna teased.

"Cut it out Tecna, they were very good. And I know you saw it, because I know you have micro cameras covering the area. You were right about them. They'll do well."

"Hey Bloom!" Aisha and Musa walked over. "Is it true what we heard? A freshman fairy actually got a hit in on you?" Aisha asked.

"Yeah, the girls Tecna put in our old dorm. They're very good, and they have a lot of potential."

"Just like we did, right?" Musa put in.

"Yes Musa. Just like we did."

**A/N: No, your eyes do not deceive you. All five girls transformed into fairies. But one of them is a normal girl. How is this possible? You'll find out. And no, I will not tell you who it is, how they can use magic when they aren't a fairy, or really anything else along those lines just yet. If I even try to do so my Spoiler Alert siren will go off. And that thing is annoying. So no hints. You'll just have to wait and find out for yourself. Just like the girl in question. Oh, alright. I'll give you one hint. Her name has an "a" in it. See you all next time.**


	4. Delicious Food, Dangerous Foes

**Disclaimer: I don't own Winx Club. If I did the first fairy form would have a real name, and I wouldn't be stuck having my characters shout "Magic Winx" when they clearly are not members of the Winx. **

**This chapter contains a tribute my late father. One of the new characters in this chapter is based off of him. I think he'd have gotten a kick out of that.**

"NO!" Reyva shouted. "Just like the first three book stores you've asked about! If you go into one we won't see you again until some time next month!"

"I promise, just one book!" Perdi pleaded.

The other four fairies looked at each other. Then they looked at Perdi. "No." Four voices said in unison.

"Come on Perdi, you need to get your nose out of the books for once." Artis said. "Try something new. Live a little!"

"Yeah," Amelia agreed, "You need some variety in your life. Try to balance out your reading with the real world."

"Okay." Perdi sulked.

"Hey, you guys, let me show you my favorite restaurant in Magix." Dhalia said. "It's called The Sated Tyger. It's a little odd, but the food is excellent and the proprietor is very nice.

"Sounds good." Said Reyva. "I'm starving."

"You're always starving." Artis commented. "That's what happens when you spend half your time in the gym."

"Says the girl who's never exercised a day in her life."

"True!" Artis acknowledged.

Laughing, they set off towards the restaurant with Dhalia in the lead.

* * *

The Sated Tyger was definitely "a little odd". It looked like a medieval tavern, tucked between two very modern looking buildings. Inside it was the same. A fire burned in the large hearth, and wooden tables and chairs were scattered around the room. The place felt very cozy and warm, a welcome change from the brisk autumn air outside. They were met at the door by a very large man. Standing just over six feet tall, he was built like a refrigerator.

"Hello ladies. You sure look lovely. What can I do for you today?"

"Hello Johan."

"Oh, Dhalia, I didn't recognize you!" Johan said. "How's the new school year going for you?"

"Well, I transferred to Alfea, so I'm pretty much doing freshman year again."

"Oh, that explains it! You look so much happier than you did last year. I'm glad you had the courage to go through with the transfer. You were so uncomfortable at Cloud Tower."

"Yes, I was. Thank you fo helping me find the courage to make that decision. These are my new friends, Amelia, Artis, Perdi, and Reyva. Girls, this is the proprietor of the Sated Tyger, Johan."

"It's a pleasure to meet such lovely young ladies. Please, have a seat. I'll be over to serve you in just a minute." He bustled his way back into the kitchen, bringing out another customer's order. The five girls moved to an empty table and sat down.

"Well, he sure was friendly." Perdi stated.

"Yes." Dhalia said. "He's an interesting man. Did you know he built this place himself? Along with all the furniture in it?"

"He's a wizard?" Reyva asked.

"Nope." Dhalia said. "He built it all by hand. No magic. And I bet he enjoyed every minute of it. As for him being friendly, he firmly believes that, and I quote, 'all women are beautiful' no matter what they look like."

"Well that's nice of him." Amelia said.

Johan came over to their table, a smile on his face and a notepad in his hands. "Alright ladies, who wants what?"

* * *

An hour later all five girls sat back and gave a sigh of satisfaction. Dhalia hadn't lied, the food was truly excellent, and Johan had made them all feel completely at home with his jokes and friendly nature.

"Dhalia, how did you find this place?" Reyva asked. "This food is incredible!"

"Tell me about it!" Artis exclaimed. "And it's such a lovely little place! I can't believe Johan built it by hand!"

"He's certainly an incredible man." Amelia said. "Although I think these chairs may be a little _too_ well built. I can't even pick mine up!"

"That's Johan for you. Anything he's built could hold three of him jumping up and down on it. It may weigh half a ton, but it will never break."

"Oooh, do you think he'd be willing to build me a new bookshelf?" Perdi asked. "One of mine broke the other day when I was doing some rearranging."

"You need a new bookshelf?" Johan had come over with the check. "No problem. How big do you want it to be?"

While Perdi and Johan discussed the bookshelf Artis went and paid for their meal. It was much cheaper than she'd expected, even after she added a sizable tip. They were going to have to come back here again some time.

"Alright, I'll let you know when I'm finished with it." Johan said. "In the meantime, I have a book you might enjoy. Give me a moment." He went back behind the kitchen, grabbed the book and brought it back out. "You can keep this, I actually have two copies of it."

"Oh, thank you!" Perdi squealed. She hugged him in her excitement.

"Don't mention it. It was the least I could do for such an intelligent and lovely young lady."

"...I guess we can't say no to this book can we?" Reyva muttered to herself.

The five young girls walked out of their new favorite restaurant. Perdi clutched her new book like a child with a new toy.

"Sorry girls." Dhalia said. "I should have realized this would happen. Johan loves books almost as much as Perdi does and he always has something to give to someone."

"Don't worry about it." Artis said. "The food was worth putting up with Perdi getting a new book."

"Yeah, we have to go back again some day." Amelia declared.

"Go back where?" A cold voice entered their conversation. "That miserable old dive?"

Dhalia gritted her teeth. "Don't you have somewhere better to be, Elise?"

Elise grinned. Two other girls stood next to her. "I don't think so Dhalia. You left us after all. Then again, you always were the soft one. But we've replaced you."

"So you and Trina found a new partner to help you bully other girls? Congratulations. Now leave me and my friends alone."

"What, you don't want to meet her? Come on Lora, why don't you introduce yourself?"

Something about the way Elise spoke set alarm bells ringing in their heads. "Duck!" Reyva yelled.

Just in time. "Toxic Flood!" Shouted Lora. A flood of foul green liquid blasted over Artis's head, just barely missing her face. Turning, she could see the green fluid was eating into the wall behind her.

"Hey, watch it!"

"Steel Spear!" Yelled the girl named Trina. A rod of metal launched itself at Amelia, who had to drop to the ground to avoid it.

"Quit it!"

"Deathly Moan!" Elise screamed. She opened her mouth and waves of ghostly energy pulsed from it, blasting at the five fairies.

"Alright, that does it!" Reyva yelled. "Let's go girls!"

"Magic Winx!"

(Cue transformation music)

The fairies stood together facing down the witches.

"Hey, Dhalia, what are we up against?" Amelia asked.

"Elise, Trina, and I used to be a coven. Or rather, Elise and Trina formed a coven, but they wanted a third member so they dragged me into it. Elise is the witch of the Dead. Watch out for ghosts. Trina is the witch of Metal. As for Lora, I've never met her before in my life, but I'm guessing she's the witch of Poison."

"Okay then!" Artis said, rising into the air. "Let's use what we learned in our class with Bloom!" Artis was as good as her word, and a thick fog rose up around the three witches. "Dhalia, you're up next!"

"Static Field!" Electricity coursed through the mist. This time Dhalia was trying to do more than just distract her targets, and miniature lightning bolts flickered in the hazy air.

"My turn." Reyva announced. "Gravity Crush!" The force of gravity on the three witches tripled, driving Elise and Trina to their knees.

"Poison Shot!" A powerful jet of green ooze blasted into Perdi, throwing her across the street.

"Perdi!" Amelia yelled, flying towards her injured friend.

"Iron Hammer!" A ball of metal smashed into Amelia from the side, throwing her to her left. She crashed into a wall and lay there stunned. Then her form began to flicker. The black slowly faded from her outfit, leaving nothing but white. She picked herself up, shaking her head to clear it.

"Seismic Blast!"

Nothing happened.

"What? Seismic Blast!"

Still nothing. Amelia fainted.

"Amelia!" Reyva yelled.

"We have to retreat." Dhalia said. "We've got two fairies injured and we haven't even touched the witches. Reyva! We need to get out of here!"

"On it! Spacial Rift!" A hole in the universe appeared in front of Reyva. Artis and Dhalia grabbed Perdi and pulled her through the portal while Reyva grabbed Amelia and did the same.

* * *

The portal let them out at Alfea. Unfortunately they landed in some hedges.

"Ow! Reyva, try to be more careful with the portals, okay?" Artis complained.

"Sorry, I always have trouble with that spell. At least we landed at the right school."

"Enough, we need to get Amelia and Perdi to the infirmary." Dhalia said.

"What happened to Amelia?" Artis asked. "It was like she couldn't use her magic!"

"I don't know, but maybe Amelia does. If she doesn't know then we can ask Ms. Faragonda. But first we have to take them to the infirmary."

**Profiles:**

**Elise:  
Appearance: The ultimate goth, she has long black hair, completely black eyes, and a tall but emaciated figure. She favors black clothing and heavy dark makeup. She accessorizes with the skulls of various small animals which she wears on a belt.  
Powers: Death. She can summon ghosts, shoot blasts of dark energy, and just generally make an unholy pain of herself.**

**Trina:  
Appearance: If Cloud Tower has cheerleaders, this girl is their captain. Her literally golden hair flows down past her waist, while her blue eyes are as cold as they are beautiful. She's very tall, and very well built, and she knows it.  
Powers: Metal. Any form of metal she wants, she can summon and control, although her powers aren't very effective with precious metals like gold.**

**Lora:  
Appearance: Violently green hair with matching eyes, she stands just a touch shorter than average, with a rather unremarkable build.  
Powers: Poison. She throws toxic goo around. What more do you want?**

**A/N: Okay, a few notes.  
****One, ****Johan is based on my father with little to no modification, although my memory of him has faded somewhat in the eight years since he died. Yes, he really did hold those beliefs, build things simply for the pleasure of doing so, and he always had something to give to those in need. ********My father was an amazing man, and I am dedicating this chapter to him.**  
**Two, ****The Sated Tyger actually does, or rather did, exist, although I took some creative liberties with the appearance and the location. And yes, it was owned and operated by my father, mostly as a hobby. He had to stop when I was born, simply because he had too much else to do. (Like help raise me.)  
**

******Now, on to the actual story. We now have villains, and the actual plot is beginning to unfold. What just happened to Amelia? Keep reading to find out. Oh, and I wanted to thank everyone for taking the time to read this story. I never expected to get so many readers in such a short amount of time, and from so many different countries. As of right now, people from the following countries have read this story:  
********In order of views, from most to least, USA (Obviously), India (Huh?), Canada, Germany (Where my Dad's family came from!), Australia, the United Arab Emirates (What the heck?), UK, Malaysia, Slovakia, Brazil, Denmark, Ireland, Greece, Sweden, Netherlands, Philippines (My step-grandmother on my mother's side is from the Philippines. My heart goes out to all who suffered in the recent typhoon.), France, Spain, Czech Revar (Is Revar Czechoslovakian for Republic?), Norway, China, Austria, Belgium, and Guatemala. Fanfiction truly is an international community. Thank you all for taking the time to read my story.  
**

******Wow, that was maudlin. Hopefully we can have more fun next chapter. I hope to see you all there.**


	5. Identity Crisis

**Disclaimer: Own Winx Club, I do not. This disclaimer brought to you by Yoda's School of Syntax.**

**Hello again all. First off, whoa. This story's only been up for about four days, and it's already got over three hundred views from almost a hundred fifty visitors. I'm completely floored by the level of attention this story has gotten, especially given that I'm pretty much an unknown on this site. I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to read this story. I can tell you're all interested in the story, so I'll try to keep update time to a minimum. Special thanks to my fellow author PiercetheVeils for her numerous and insightful reviews. Oh, and I suppose I should apologize for the absolutely useless hint I gave two chapters ago. But I won't, because it was amusing. Sorry, but I'm not sorry. ...That made so much more sense in my head. Anyways, on with the story!**

Amelia awoke in a hospital bed. The school nurse Ophelia hovered over her.

"Hello dear, how are you feeling?" She asked.

"What happened?"

"You broke your right arm in two places and cracked three ribs on your left side. I've healed all the breaks, but they'll be tender for several days."

"No, what happened to my magic?" Amelia said in a mystified voice. "I feel like I've lost my Earth magic."

"...Yes, you have."

"Why?" Amelia looked to Ophelia with tears in her eyes. "How could that happen?"

"I don't think I'm the one who should explain." Ophelia said, her expression full of sympathy. "You should talk with Stella."

"Stella?!" Amelia exclaimed. "Why should I talk with _her_ about this? Couldn't I talk with Ms. Faragonda?"

"Stella has the most experience in this situation."

"What situation?"

"Well, darling, I believe I'm supposed to explain that." Stella walked, or rather sauntered in. Ophelia withdrew to check on Perdi. The poisonous blast did some severe damage to the young girl, and she was in a very delicate state.

"What can you tell me that Ms. Faragonda or Bloom can't?" Amelia demanded rather harshly.

"I know what happened," Stella said, "and I know why. This isn't going to be easy to hear, but you have to listen to me."

"Alright, I'm listening." Amelia said in dark tone. "Go ahead."

"You have no magic."

"WHAT?!"

"You have no magic of your own. All of your powers come from an item, or rather two, which you wear."

"That's ridic-" Amelia sputtered. "My earrings." She whispered in a shocked voice. Her hands flew to her left ear. The earring was still there, but the stone was broken and cracked.

"It must have broken when I slammed into that wall."

"Yes, and with it broken half of your powers are gone."

"How do you know this?"

"I'm a very weak fairy by nature. My own innate magic is downright pitiful. But, I have the Ring of Solaria which makes me as strong as any other fairy. Your case is a bit more extreme my dear. Without my ring I'm weak yes, but without your earrings you have no powers at all."

"So what can I do?" Amelia asked. "All my life I've thought I was a fairy. Now I find out I'm not. I've let everyone down."

"You still have your Sky magic dear, so you're still a fairy."

"But for how long?" Amelia demanded. "I spend one day in Magix, get in one fight with some witches, and I lose half my power. How long until the other one breaks? How long until I'm nothing but a normal girl?"

"You just need to be careful."

"I can't spend my entire life making sure one little piece of jewelry doesn't break!" Amelia protested. "And even if I could, I don't want to be dependent on it for my strength." She broke off and tears began to flow from her eyes.

"I want my own magic." She sobbed.

"...I can't help you," Stella said, "but maybe someone else can. Let me ask around, and I'll tell you what I find."

"Thank you." Amelia sniffled.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" Stella asked.

"No, I just want to be left alone." Amelia said, curling up into a ball with her head between her knees. She wept freely as the Fairy of the Sun left the room.

**A/N: Okay, I know this is a short chapter, but it's so emotionally charged that I think it makes up for it. So, I have a question for all of you. Do you think Amelia should be able to get her own magic? There is a way, at least in this story, but does she deserve it? Please let me know what you think by voting in my poll. That's it for now, Firehawk out.**


	6. The Slimmest of Hopes

**The votes are in, and Amelia will be getting her own magic. However, it's not going to be easy for her. It's going to take a lot of work and a lot of sacrifice to get there.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Winx Club. I can't think of a good joke for this, so let's just move on.**

**Okay, I want to apologize for how short last chapter was, but by the time I reached the end I just didn't have it in me to write any more. It was really depressing. It was fun to write, and I like how it turned out, but it was really depressing. Moving on. Once again, I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to read this story. Since my last country list we have some new faces: The Russian Federation (I wonder what Putin thinks of this), Finland, Italy, Iceland, and Tunisia. It's reassuring that so many different people from so many different places can come together in relative peace. My faith in humanity has been restored, or at least bolstered. All right, let's get on with the story before I start singing Kumbaya.**

"How is she?" Flora asked.

"She's crushed." Stella said. "How did you expect her to be?"

"Maybe I should talk to her." Bloom said. "I know what it's like to lose your magic."

"No Bloom, you don't." Stella snapped. "You still had your magic, you just didn't know it, and you hadn't spent your entire life believing you had magic, only to find out you had none."

"...I guess you're right."

"It's alright." Stella said in a gentler tone. "I know you mean well, and in most cases you're great at helping, but this isn't one of them."

"Stella's right." Aisha said. "I can't imagine what Amelia must be feeling right now. She's had her identity torn away from her, along with her faith in herself."

"She's lost herself." Musa said.

"I just wish there was a way we could help her." Flora said.

They all turned to look at Tecna, who was working furiously on her handheld.

"Tecna?" Musa asked. "Is there something you'd like to share with the group?"

"Huh? Oh, give me a moment." A few minutes passed and then Tecna looked up. Her face was grim. "Girls, there is a way for her to obtain magic of her own."

"Then why the long face?" Stella asked.

Tecna showed them what she'd discovered.

"Oh." Stella said in a small voice.

"We can't let her do this." Aisha said. "It's far too dangerous, and we don't even know if it will work."

"It's the only way." Tecna said.

"There has to be another answer!" Musa cried. "This will kill her!"

"Bloom, can't you use your Dragon Fire to give her some magic?" Flora asked.

"No." Bloom hung her head. "That only worked with you because you had lost your magic. Amelia never had any to begin with."

"This is the only way Amelia can obtain her own magic." Tecna said. "It's dangerous, and we don't know if it will work, but it's the only option."

"We have to tell her." Bloom said. "We have to give her the opportunity to make the decision for herself."

* * *

Amelia was still huddled in a ball. She was shattered. All her life she'd thought she was a fairy. Now she didn't know what she was. What could she do? She wouldn't be able to live in the Magic Dimension, so where should she go? Maybe she could go to Earth where magic was the exception, not the rule. Her internal rambling was interrupted by the sound of footsteps.

"Go away." She sniffed. "I just want to be left alone."

"Hey there." Artis's voice broke through Amelia's reverie. "We came to check on you."

Amelia looked up. Around her bed stood her friends. Reyva, Dhalia, Artis, and the freshly healed Perdi were all there.

"We heard what happened." Reyva said. "I'm so sorry."

"Is there anything we can do for you?" Dhalia asked.

"I don't know." Amelia said. "I just feel like I let you guys down."

"You didn't!" Perdi said.

"If only I had my own magic." Amelia whispered. "I can't even protect myself."

"Hello girls, may we come in?" Bloom stood in the door to the room, her face tight with worry. "We need to talk with Amelia."

"I know what you're here to do." Amelia said. ""You're going to try to convince me that I can still have a life in Magix, or at Alfea, or something."

""Actually, that's not it." Stella said. "Could you four give us some privacy?" She looked at Amelia's friends.

"No." Dhalia declared. "We're not leaving Amelia." The determination in her voice was unbreakable.

"Yeah, she's one of us." Artis added.

"We're staying." Perdi said.

"We're her friends." Reyva stated. "We won't leave her."

"You can't win this one Stella." Flora said. "They have a right to hear this too."

"Hear what?" Asked Amelia. She was touched by her friends' support. "What are you talking about?"

"Amelia." Tecna spoke. "There is a way for you to obtain your own magic."

For several seconds it failed to register. Amelia simply stared uncomprehendingly at the Fairy of Technology. Then it hit. "What? Really? Please, tell me." The longing in her voice was heart wrenching. "I need to know."

"It will be very dangerous." Bloom cautioned. "And we aren't sure if it will work."

"Please, tell me. Even if it's a slim chance, I have to try."

"Very well then." Tecna said. "You must go back to the beginning. To the very first fairy, Arcadia. She was the first to gain the powers of a fairy, and the only way to obtain your own magic is to follow in her footsteps."

"It doesn't sound that hard." Amelia said. "How dangerous can it be?"

"You will be tested." Said Tecna.

"And if I fail?" Amelia said in a tentative voice.

"You will die."

"Oh."

"We didn't want to tell you this." Said Aisha. "We don't want you to throw your life away."

"I can't spend my life dependent on a piece of jewelry for my powers." Amelia said. "I need to be strong enough on my own."

"We'd like to help you, but we can't leave Alfea." Flora said. "We have too many responsibilities."

"I'll go with her." Dhalia said. "The only reason she's in this mess is because of my past mistakes. And she's my friend."

"I'm going too." Perdi said. "She was trying to protect me when she got hurt, and I owe her for that."

"I'm not letting you guys leave without me." Artis said. "Amelia is my friend too."

"Do you even have to ask?" Reyva asked. "I'm going too. We're a team."

"Your lives will be in danger too." Musa said.

"We're still going." Dhalia said.

"According to the rules, I can't let you leave," Tecna said. Before they could protest she added, "But in this case I think we can make an exception. She's going to need you four."

"Thank you girls." Amelia said. "I can't tell you how much this means to me."

"You'll leave tomorrow. For now, get some rest." Aisha said. "You're going to need all your strength for the trials ahead."

**A/N: I always wondered where the first fairy got her powers from. Now I get to explore some of the possibilities. Let's see where this goes.**


	7. What is Magic?

**Disclaimer: I doth not possess Winx Club. This disclaimer brought to you by the School for Mangled Shakespearean English.**

**So, Arcadia and the original source of fairy magic! How did Arcadia become the first fairy? We'll just have to find out! In other news, a warm welcome to the first viewer from Barbados. It's always nice to see a new reader and realize that that's one more person who decided to take the time to look at something you wrote. Now, let's get back to the story.**

Amelia awoke in her own room. It was the same as it had been before the disastrous trip to Magix, but it no longer felt like it was hers. This was the room of Amelia, Fairy of Earth and Sky. Amelia the girl didn't belong here.

No, she would not cry. She was no longer the fairy of Earth and Sky, but she was still Amelia, and she would never give up. She would find the strength in herself to obtain her own magic. She got out of bed.

* * *

The five girls met in the courtyard at dawn. The Winx were also in attendance, as was Ms. Faragonda.

"So, where do we go?" Amelia asked. "Where is this 'Arcadia' you mentioned?"

"Arcadia dwells in the Golden Kingdom." Tecna said. "A universe which reflects our own. There she keeps watch over the Water Stars, the Dragon Fire's opposite force. Normally only a fairy with at least Enchantix could enter. However, Arcadia has agreed to allow you entrance to her domain."

"How do we get there?" Artis asked. "I doubt Reyva's portals can get us there."

"Indeed. We've called for some assistance." Bloom said. "My sister Daphne will guide you to the Red Tower, the entrance to the Golden Kingdom. Unfortunately, she's running late, and won't be here for several hours."

"Well then girls," Reyva said, "I'd planned to have breakfast on the way, but if we have a few hours to kill, why don't we visit Johan?"

"That sounds like an excellent idea." Dhalia said.

"Can we meet Daphne in Magix?" Perdi asked.

"Go enjoy your breakfast, girls." Faragonda said. "I will let Daphne know where to find you."

"Thank you Ms. Faragonda." Amelia said.

"Let's get a move on, ladies!" Reyva shouted from over by her portal. "I'm starving, and there's delicious meal on the other side of this portal!"

* * *

The girls stepped out of the portal in front of the Sated Tyger. Despite the early hour Johan was already up and cooking. Glancing up he spotted the five and hurried over.

"Hello again girls. I didn't expect to see you again so soon. What can I do for you?"

"We'd like breakfast." Reyva said. "We're about to go on a mission, but we have a few hours to spare, so we thought we'd enjoy your cooking before heading out."

"Certainly, what would you like?"

The girls gave him their orders and sat down at a table. Soon they each had a steaming hot plate of food in front of them.

"So, ladies, you mentioned a mission?"

"Yes." Amelia said. "It turns out I'm not actually a fairy, and that all my powers came from my earrings. Yesterday when we left your place we were attacked by three witches. In the fight one of my earrings broke, and that's how we figured it out. Now we're on a mission so I can get my own magic."

"I see." Johan tugged thoughtfully at his beard. "Is there anything I can do to help you?"

"Probably not. I have to follow in the footsteps of Arcadia, the first fairy. If I fail, I'll likely die, but I don't want to live dependent on something as fragile as an earring for my power."

"I see." He said. "Just remember: Magic isn't the only kind of power. Magic is a tool. Nothing more, nothing less. It can make your life easier, but there's always more than one way to accomplish something. And sometimes a wrench will do a better job with a nail than a hammer will. Sometimes the obvious solution, the predictable solution, is the wrong answer."

"...Thank you Johan." Amelia said. "I'll try to remember."

"My pleasure. Now who wants seconds?"

* * *

By the time Daphne arrived the table was cluttered with dishes and five well-fed fairies sat around chasing the last of their breakfasts around their plates with their forks.

"What happened here?"

"Oh, hello Daphne." Artis said looking up. "Johan here makes the best food you've ever tasted. I thought the food he made for lunch was delicious, but this breakfast is heavenly! Or rather, was heavenly. I'm afraid we ate all of it."

"That's why I made more." Johan said from the kitchen. "I understand you're in a hurry, so I made you some breakfast to go."

Daphne blinked. "Um, thank you. That really isn't necessary, I packed my own food."

"Please, take it, I insist." He said.

"Give up now." Perdi advised. "His cooking is really good, he's as generous as they come, and he's as stubborn as a boulder."

* * *

Soon they were on their way to the Misty Forest and the Red Tower. Daphne had brought along a ship big enough for the six of them, and it was fast enough that they'd be there in just a few hours.

"You were right, this is delicious!" Daphne said, eating her breakfast. "That man must be a wizard!"

"Nope." Dhalia said. "Not a drop of magic in him. He built the restaurant himself, along with all the furniture in it, and he makes all the food. And all of it by hand, with no magic involved."

The look on Daphne's face caused all five girls to giggle slightly. "You're kidding. No one can do all that without magic."

"Johan can. He already has." Dhalia said. "He works harder than any three people I know."

"I guess there are somethings even magic can't replace." Daphne said. "It's amazing that one man can do so much more without magic than many people can with magic at their fingertips."

"Johan called it a tool." Amelia said. "But so many people base their whole identity off their magic. So what is magic?"

"I can't answer that." Daphne said. "That's something you have to figure out on your own."

"Um, Daphne?" Perdi spoke up. "I think we're here."

**A/N: Well, that was profound. It's a good think I packed my snorkel mask because it just got deep. Thanks for reading, as always, reviews are welcome. As for trolls, flame away. I am the Firehawk, and I fear no flame! Ah, that was fun to say. I'd make a good melodramatic hero. I don't think I'm quite cut out for world domination though, so I wouldn't do so well as the villain. Alas. Well that's it for now, and I'll see you at the next chapter.**


	8. Forest of Mist

**Haftungsausschluss: Ich besitze Winx Klub nicht. Ja, Ich spreche Deutsch.  
Sorry, but I felt the need to practice my German.**

**Alright, last chapter was deep enough to drown in. Let's have something a little less profound.**

The ship touched down in the middle of the Misty Forest.

"This is as far as I go, girls." Daphne said. "From here on out, you will be on your own."

"What? Why?" Amelia asked.

"Because Arcadia insisted upon it. You must find the Red Tower on your own. Only then will she let you enter the Golden Kingdom."

Daphne lifted off in her ship while the five girls waved.

"So, any ideas?" Reyva asked. "How do we find this tower?"

"I don't know." Dhalia said. "Maybe Perdi does though."

"I'm not sure." Perdi said. "It's been a while since I read anything about the Golden Kingdom. Let me try to remember."

Perdi's thoughts were interrupted by Artis's laughter. "Girls, this is the _Misty _Forest. I'm the fairy of the Mist. It's almost too easy."

"Oh." Dhalia blushed. "I should of thought of that."

"Wait!" Perdi shouted. "Misty Forest is full of monsters. If we use magic we may attract them."

"Do we have a choice?" Amelia asked. "We could wander around this forest for years and still find nothing."

"Maybe there's another way." Dhalia said.

"What?" Perdi asked.

"What we need is a decoy, someone to draw the monsters away from Artis while she locates the Red Tower." She looked at Reyva. "You have the best chance of survival, Reyva. If you get in any trouble, open a portal and get out of there."

"Someone should go with her." Perdi said. "It's not safe for her to go alone."

"I will." Amelia said. "We're doing this for me, so I should be the one to put myself in danger."

"But what if your earring breaks?" Reyva asked. "You're the most vulnerable of us all."

"I don't care. I'm going with you."

"In fifteen minutes Artis will start her locator spell." Dhalia said. "You need to get going."

Reyva and Amelia stood together. "Magic Winx!"

(Cue transformation music)

The two fairies were ready for action. Amelia's outfit was now a pure white, the black having disappeared along with her powers over Earth. Looking closely, the other girls noticed that her form flickered slightly, as if she barely had enough power to sustain it. With half her magic gone she was far weaker than any of the others.

"Let's go." Amelia said, pointedly ignoring the others' stares.

"Spacial Rift!" And they were gone.

"Are you sure this idea will work?" Perdi asked nervously.

"No, but it's all I could think of. We need to be ready to defend Artis in case it doesn't work."

"Right."

* * *

Amelia and Reyva flew through the portal. "Let's get their attention." Amelia said mischievously. "Aero Pulse!"

A blast of air rippled out from Amelia, tearing through the trees and scattering leaves everywhere.

"Watch out, this is going to get bumpy." Reyva warned. "Gravity Boost!"

Gravity started pulling everything towards Reyva. Fortunately for Amelia, Reyva had placed an antigravity spell on her first, but it was still an unpleasant experience. After a few minutes Reyva stopped.

"Do you think we got their attention?"

Amelia looked down. "Yeah, we got it." Beneath them a swarm of monsters milled about. Tentacles thrashed about, smashing trees, rocks, and even some unlucky monsters.

"Oh." Reyva said. "We should probably do something about that."

"Probably."

"Gravity Crush!" The force of gravity on the monsters increased. Some of the weaker monsters simply crumbled under the extreme force, but for the most part they were unperturbed. Several tentacles shot towards Reyva.

"Cyclone Shield!" Amelia shouted. Both she and Reyva were contained in a sphere of wind which briefly repelled the monsters' assault. "There are too many of them! We have to get out of here!"

"Spacial Rift!" The two fairies slipped through the portal to another segment of the forest.

"Well, that worked." Amelia said. "Let's try it again. Aero Pulse!"

* * *

"What in the world are they doing?" Dhalia asked. "I wanted them to distract the monsters, not start a full scale war!"

"At least it's working." Artis said. "It's been fifteen minutes. Let's get started."

"Magic Winx!" They yelled.

(Cue transformation music)

"Artis, start the spell. Perdi and I will cover you."

"Mistuous Locatino!" Thin tendrils of fog extended from Artis's hands and merged with the mist that gave the forest its name. Her powers began their quest to find the Red Tower.

"I wonder how Amelia and Reyva are doing." Perdi said.

* * *

"Alright." Amelia panted. "You want some more?" The monsters she was facing didn't look particularly impressed. She was completely drained. With half her magic gone she couldn't keep going.

Suddenly Johan's words flashed through her mind. "Magic is a tool. Nothing more, Nothing less."

"I'm out of magic, but I can still fight!" She grabbed a branch from the ground. "You want me? Come get me!"

"Amelia, no!" Reyva shouted. She was still airborne, blasting monsters with solar radiation.

"I won't give up!" Amelia charged. She did surprisingly well, taking down two of the monsters, but in the end it was hopeless. She smashed into a tree and lay still.

"Amelia!" Reyva dove down and grabbed her friend. "Spacial Rift!" She leapt through the portal.

* * *

"Almost got it..." Artis said. "Just another minute..."

A few monsters had attacked the trio, but Perdi and Dhalia had repelled them with no difficulty.

"I found it!" Artis shouted. Just them a portal opened and Reyva burst onto the scene, carrying an unconscious Amelia.

"Amelia!" Dhalia cried.

"I hope you've found the Red Tower, because in a few moments we're going to be up to our ears in monsters." Reyva said.

"Yes!" Artis said. "It's over that way, about one mile."

"Then let's go. Spacial Rift!"

The five girls passed through the portal.

* * *

Arcadia was waiting for them. "You did well to find this place. You may enter." She gestured to the open door behind her.

"Can we hurry, every monster in the forest is after us!" Artis yelled.

"Right this way."

The girls stepped through the doorway and into another world.

**A/N: Well that was brutal. I seem to like beating up Amelia. But you have to admire her courage, even if it does get her into trouble. Anyways, they made it. They've reached the Golden Kingdom. Now the real tests can begin. What, you thought that was difficult? Just wait till you see what I have in store for the girls. In other news, Reyva's really getting good with her portals, and I'm having a lot of fun using them. Spacial Rift is probably my favorite spell so far.**


	9. The Price of Friendship

**Disclaimer: I do not own Winx Club. I'm fresh out of jokes for these, and they're really boring. Sigh.**

**Yet another country has joined the list. I'd like to welcome the first reader from Poland. Thanks again to everyone for reading, and special thanks to everyone who left a review. I've noticed a common sentiment in the reviews: This story is unique. Well, firstly, thank you. Second, that's because I designed it that way. I wanted to do something that had never been done before, and judging by the reviews I think I've succeeded. Now, back to the story!**

Amelia awoke in a place unlike any other. In every direction massive golden columns stretched to the sky, while in the distance all of space was visible between the gleaming pillars. Above her the constellations of the entire universe stretched across an endless sky. However, most of her attention was on the translucent blue winged woman hovering over her.

"You are safe here." The woman said. "I am Arcadia."

Amelia bolted upright. "We made it?" She asked. "Where are my friends?"

"Right here." Artis said. "It's good to see you awake at last. You've been unconscious for two days despite Arcadia's healing."

"She used up too much power." Arcadia said. "Her earring wasn't able to keep up with the amount of magic she was using so it tapped into her life-force to fuel her spells."

"You know why we're here?" Amelia asked.

"Yes, you seek your own magic. You wish to follow in my footsteps."

"Yes. I can't rely on this thing for the rest of my life." Amelia said, holding her earring.

"I warn you, it will be very dangerous. Many have lost their lives attempting to earn their own powers."

"I have to try. How do I do this?"

"You must enter a world beyond reality, Univix, make it to the Well of Magic, and all without magic. Only completely magicless beings may enter that realm, and you may not bring any magic with you."

"How do I get back?"

"The only way out is through the Well of Magic. If you do not succeed you will be trapped forever, and eventually die."

"Okay then." Amelia said. "Thank you all for your help girls, but I have to do this."

"And we're coming with you." Dhalia said.

"But you can't." Amelia said. "Only those without magic can enter Univix."

"We know." Artis said.

"We talked it over." Perdi said.

"We're a team." Reyva said. "We're going in with you."

"But how?"

"We've given up our magic." Dhalia said. "We won't let you do this alone."

"You did WHAT?" Amelia yelled. "Are you insane?"

"We talked it over between us while you were out." Perdi said. "We're all going to go in together, and we're all going to come out together."

"No!" Amelia shouted. "I won't let you give up your powers for me!"

"Too late." Artis said. "We knew you'd react like this so we went ahead and asked Arcadia to eliminate our magic before you woke up."

"You shouldn't have done that! Can't Arcadia restore your magic?"

"She probably could, but that's not the point Amelia." Reyva said. "When are you going to get it through your head? You can't do it alone. You need us, and we need you."

"I came here because I needed to be able to rely on my own strength!"

"Yes, but there's a difference between relying on something like an earring and relying on your friends." Perdi said.

"Your friends _are_ your strength Amelia." Artis said. "We said we'd go with you to the Golden Kingdom, and now we're going with you to Univix."

"Amelia." Arcadia spoke. "Trust your friends. They have made their decision. You have to accept that it was their decision to make."

"They should have at least told me first!"

"Amelia, you know why they didn't. Trust them. Their support for you is stronger than any magic could ever be. Now, Univix awaits." Arcadia gestured to a portal. "Once you are inside you will not be able to leave or contact the outside world. Are you prepared?"

Amelia took a deep breath. "Yes, I'm ready." She carefully removed both her earrings, the intact white stone in stark contrast to the shattered black one. "Please, take these." She handed them to Arcadia. "Keep them safe for me. They're all I have left of my grandmother."

"I will guard them with the greatest care."

"Okay girls!" Reyva said. "Let's go to Univix!"

They stepped through the portal.

**A/N: I'm sorry for how short this chapter is, but _wow_, that was intense. Now five girls with no magic have to travel through a hostile world in search of a well. Univix is a very dangerous place, and all of their skills will be put to the test. As will my creative skills. The Winx Club canon has virtually nothing on the origins of Arcadia, so I'm making this up as I go. Let's hope I'm up to the task.**


	10. An Unexpected Welcome

**Disclaimer: I do not own Winx Club. I do own Univix however. Ah, the joys of departing from canon.**

**Okay, once again, I'm completely astounded by this story's popularity. It's been up for about a week, and already nearly two hundred and fifty people have looked at for over six hundred views. I never expected this level of attention when I started this story, and I'm touched by how well it's been received. Just, wow. Thanks again to everyone for reading. Now, I should get back to the story. Where was I? Oh yes. I just turned the drama level past ten and all the way up to twelve.**

Whatever Amelia had been expecting, this wasn't it. The five of them stood in a cozy and well kept house. It had five beds, a full bathroom, a kitchen with a fully stocked pantry, and fresh clothes laid out for each of them.

"What's going on?" Reyva asked. "You'd think we were expected."

"That's because you were." A kindly voice said. A woman clad in a flowing white gown stepped forward. "I am Delra. It is my task to welcome all who come to Univix."

"Well thank you." Artis said. "But we can't stay."

"We're on a mission." Dhalia said.

"I know. You wish to earn your magic."

"Yes. We have to get going." Amelia said.

"Indeed you must. But if you leave now you will fail." Delra said. "I have prepared everything you will need for your journey."

"Why are you doing this?" Perdi asked. "What reason do you have to help us?"

"I honor the memory of my friend Ezalia, who attempted to gain magic, but failed in her quest." Delra said. "Had she been better prepared she might have lived. I have made it my mission to protect others from that fate."

"I'm sorry." Said Reyva.

"Do not be. You had no hand in her death." Delra said. "Now, I have some gifts for you." She gestured to the clothing.

"These clothes will serve you well in the trials ahead. Go on, take them.

The girls each grabbed their new outfits and hurried towards the bathroom. When they emerged they were dressed for an adventure. The clothes were tough enough to withstand heavy abuse, but light and comfortable.

"Excellent, but you will need more than just clothing to get by." Derla pointed to five backpacks which lay on the floor. "I filled these packs with food and medicine, as well a few basic supplies."

"Thank you." Artis said.

"I have one more gift for you before you leave." Derla went into a small room off to the side. When she emerged she was holding five cloth covered objects. "These are for you."

The girls unwrapped them. "You will need weapons to survive in this land." Derla said.

Dhalia held a staff with a thin blade extending from each end. She spun it in a quick circle and the blade sang as it sliced through the air.

Perdi opened her package to find a bow and a quiver full of arrows. She slung the quiver across her back and strung the bow. It was a perfect match for her.

Artis's weapon was a pair of daggers. Their small size favored stealth over power, but their razor-like edges were more than lethal.

Reyva held a huge hammer with a handle nearly four feet long. With her strength she lifted it as though it were no heavier than a pebble.

Amelia was the last to open her weapon. Inside she found a pair of matched swords. The twin blades were identical, yet opposites.

The girls sheathed their weapons. "Thank you." Amelia said. "Is there anything we can do to repay you?"

"Succeed in your mission. I couldn't help Ezalia, but I can help you. If you are ever in need of a place to rest, return here. I will be waiting."

"Thank you." Perdi said.

"Let's go girls!" Dhalia said. "We've got a lot of ground to cover before the sun sets."

* * *

"So, which way do we go?" Artis asked. "Where is this 'Well of Magic' thing?" They were standing just outside of Derla's house. Trees marched in every direction as far as the eye could see.

"Perdi! This not the time to be reading!" Reyva yelled. "Where did you get that book anyways?"

To everyone's surprise, Perdi looked up immediately. "Arcadia gave it to me. She said it would help on our quest."

"Does it say where we need to go?" Artis asked.

"No. It says that the Well moves once every year and that it never appears in the same place twice."

"So we have to find it ourselves." Dhalia said.

"Well, we have no idea where to look, so perhaps we should use Derla's house as a base." Amelia suggested. "Search the area around the house, and if we don't find it, move on."

"Good idea." Dhalia looked around. "We can divide the area into pieces, and search one each day. I suggest we divide it into eight sections. North, northeast, east, southeast, south, southwest, west, and northwest. We should stay together in case of trouble."

"It's a good thing Derla included compasses in our supplies." Perdi said. "Let's start with the north."

**A/N: Yes, another short chapter, and I'm sorry, but I think it makes more sense if I end the chapter here. It's sort of like a short sentence. If you try to make it longer it stops making sense. Special mention to the guest reader who goes by the name Cyborg. I'd like to respond to some of your reviews. No, Perdi clearly did not take a magic bookcase. I do admit that would have been funny, but it wouldn't have worked in Univix. As for Johan's words, they've already been repeated once, and I put them in for a reason. As for the earrings, well, I may or may not address where they came from. For now at least they're pretty much gone. And yes, Spacial Rift does sound awesome.**


	11. Strength of Body, Strength of Will

**Disclaimer: Still don't own Winx Club. If I did Tune and Digit wouldn't have been replaced. Tune was my second favorite pixie, what with her extremely polite sassiness, but Digit was my favorite by a long shot. She was smart, she was tough, and she had more spunk than Musa and Aisha combined. I want Digit back! DIGIT! Sorry for the outburst.**

**Well, now they have equipment. Maybe this won't be so hard after all. Just kidding, it's going to be even harder. Special thanks once again to my fellow author PiercetheVeils for her continued support. As for the weapons, of course they suit the characters well, that was the idea. Oh, and apparently Europe is a country, at least according to this site. Well, welcome, whatever country you're actually from. **

**This chapter is rather long. Hopefully it makes up for the micro-chapters I've been posting lately. Now, without further ado, let's get on with the story.**

"So, Perdi, what does the book say we'll be facing?" Dhalia asked.

"Well, it mentions various challenges." Perdi said. "There's a test of courage, a test of intelligence, a test of wisdom, and a fourth test."

"What's the fourth test?" Amelia asked.

"It doesn't make much sense. It's called 'The Test of the Past' but there's no explanation. I don't have any idea what it means."

"Well that's useful." Reyva muttered bitterly. The temperature was starting to drop, and Reyva was not a fan of the cold.

"We need to keep moving." Dhalia said. "We have to find the Well."

They trudged on.

* * *

Several hours had passed and the sun was rapidly sinking.

"Girls, we need to turn back." Amelia said. "We need to get back before nightfall. We don't know what creatures come out at night here."

"Agreed." Reyva said. "When the sun goes down it's going to get much colder, and we don't want to be out here when that happens."

"Alright." Dhalia said. "No sense in putting ourselves in danger for no reason."

They turned around and started making their way back to Derla's house.

"Well, we didn't find the Well, so tomorrow we'll search the Northeast section." Dhalia said. "We'll keep trying until we find it."

"Um, Dhalia?" Artis said in a very worried tone.

"What?"

"What are _those_?" She pointed.

On the other side of a river they'd crossed earlier stood a dozen large white beasts. Their heads looked like those of a wolf, but no wolf stood six feet tall at the shoulder. Their bodies looked like those of bears, with the kind of strength that ignored minor obstacles like large trees. Their fur was pure white, but the claws were as black as coal. The creatures growled, and the girls unconsciously took a step back.

"What do we do?" Perdi asked. The beasts were blocking their path back to Derla's house, but they didn't seem particularly keen on crossing the water.

"Can you shoot them?" Amelia asked.

"I don't think that would work." Perdi said nervously. "I've never seen these things before, not even in books, and I have no idea how to bring them down. Shooting them would just annoy them."

"Maybe there's another way back." Artis said. "If we can't go past them then maybe we can go around them."

"Alright, but we need to hurry." Dhalia said. "The sun is going down, and I doubt this will be any easier at night."

The five girls backed away from the creatures. Soon they were out of sight.

"Let's try over that way." Reyva said, pointing to the left. "We were going to search that area tomorrow anyways."

"It'll take us a long way off course. We should be able to make it back to the house before nightfall, but it'll be close. Dhalia said.

They angled slightly to the east, hoping to find a beast-free part of the river to cross. When they reached the river again, the creatures were waiting for them.

"There they are again!" Reyva said. "Are these the same ones?"

"I think so." Perdi said.

"Alright, clearly we can't go around these creatures," Dhalia said, "and we can't go through them either. It's too late for us to make it back to Derla's house tonight."

"We should find a place to set up a camp." Amelia said. "I think I saw a cave a little ways back. It's not much, but it's better than nothing."

"Let's go girls." Dhalia said, taking the lead.

* * *

The cave was indeed "not much". It was just barely tall enough to stand in, although Perdi kept scraping her head on the stalactites. It was large enough for them to lay out the bedrolls Derla had packed for them, but not much more. The cave did keep out some of the cold and wind, but a steady draft blew in through the entrance.

"It's rough, and we'll need to do a little work before night comes, but it should keep us alive." Amelia said.

"First we need to cover the entrance." Dhalia said. "Reyva and Amelia, you two cut some tree branches to put over the cave. Perdi, you get things set up inside. Artis and I will go to the river to get some water. Let's do this."

Amelia and Reyva set about gathering the branches. Amelia climbed into the trees, and, using a hatchet Derla had included in their supplies, chopped down some of the leafier branches. She dropped them down to Reyva who gathered them up and dragged them over to the mouth of the cave.

Meanwhile Dhalia and Artis ventured back towards the river. There Artis filled their canteens with water while Dhalia kept an eye on the creatures. They didn't seem to be doing much of anything yet, but they still made Dhalia nervous.

The four girls returned from their various tasks. Perdi was waiting for them. All five bedrolls had been laid out and she'd done her best to clear out all the leaves and other detritus that had littered the cave. Soon the cave's entrance was covered in leafy branches which kept the worst of the wind out. "I got dinner ready for everyone too." Perdi said.

Dinner was rather unspectacular, just light food that would travel well. Of course, it didn't hold a candle to Johan's cooking.

"So, what's our next move?" Amelia asked.

"We try to wait out those things." Said Dhalia. "Eventually they'll have to leave."

"Right." Amelia said. She felt useless. They were here because of her, her friends had sacrificed their powers for her, and now she was letting Dhalia call all the shots for this mission. She hadn't even been conscious when they arrived at the Golden Kingdom; her friends had had to carry her. What did she contribute to the group? She wasn't strong like Reyva, smart like Perdi, clever like Artis, or a leader like Dhalia. All she had was her stubbornness, and all that had gotten her was trouble. She lay down on her bedroll. "Good night girls." She drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The new day dawned bright and cold. It had snowed overnight, leaving the landscape covered in a blanket of white powder.

"Good morning girls." Reyva said in a disgustingly cheerful voice.

"Reyva, I know you're a morning person, but you don't need to inflict it on the rest of us." Dhalia moaned as she sat up. "Some of us have a hard time thinking clearly until after we've been awake for an hour or so."

"Which is why I got you up so early. This way you'll have time to wake up fully."

"That's not how it works!" Artis whined.

"Can we feed Reyva to those wolf-bear things?" Amelia groaned.

"Hey!"

They slowly went about getting up properly. Soon they were gathered together eating breakfast. Which had a lot in common with their dinner from the night before. When they were done Dhalia stood up. Unlike Perdi, she had no need to worry about the occasional stalactite.

"Alright girls, let's get a move on. Hopefully those things decided to go elsewhere."

They quickly packed up their makeshift camp, gathering all their supplies back into their packs. Artis stepped to the mouth of the cave and pushed aside the branches. Then she shrieked.

"Those things! They followed us!" She yelled.

"But they were just standing on the other side of the river!" Dhalia said.

"Well they're not there now!"

Indeed they were not. The pack had formed a loose semicircle around the cave at about two hundred yards. The girls emerged and looked at the creatures.

"Why aren't they attacking?" Reyva asked, hefting her war hammer. "They're just standing there."

"I don't know." Dhalia said. She was spinning her bladed staff in nervous circles.

"They're blocking our path out." Perdi said. She had an arrow nocked and ready.

"Maybe that's what they're supposed to do." Artis said, her daggers trembling slightly in her hands. "Trap us, make sure we can't get away."

"Trap us." Amelia whispered. "They haven't attacked, just intimidated us." Suddenly inspiration hit like a lightning bolt. "Perdi, what did you say the first test was?"

"Courage, why?"

"I think this is the test!" She exclaimed. "These creatures haven't attacked us, just scared us. We have to prove we're not afraid of them!" She began walking towards the creatures, her twin blades in hand."

"Amelia, what are you doing?" Artis cried. "You'll be killed!"

"You girls stay back." Amelia said over her shoulder. "This is between me and him." She pointed at the largest of the creatures. "I'm not afraid of you!" She cried. The beast roared back at her. Then it roared to its kin. They backed off a ways, leaving a space for Amelia and the monster.

"Amelia, you don't have to do this!" Reyva yelled. "We can fight them together!"

"No. We need to prove that we are stronger than they are." She said. "I need to prove that I'm stronger than their leader."

"Why?" Perdi wailed.

"Because we can't let them scare us. We have to scare them." She lifted her swords. "They'll respect a strong warrior."

"...Good luck." Dhalia said. "We'll be right here if you need us."

"Thank you girls." She turned back to her foe. "Let's begin."

* * *

The two warriors faced each other over a distance of only twenty feet. The snow covered grass crunched ominously beneath their feet. They circled, each looking for an opening. Suddenly the monster burst towards Amelia, its huge paw flying out in an attempt to smash the young girl with its overwhelming strength. Amelia ducked under the massive foreleg and brought her swords up in a flashing arc. A thin line of red appeared on the beast's leg, but the cut was shallow and hardly life threatening.

The two fighters drew apart again. Now they each had the measure of their opponent. The monster was strong, true, but it wasn't very fast. Amelia would have to use that weakness if she wanted to survive. The beast roared again, forcing the other girls to cover their ears. Amelia didn't even blink.

Suddenly she leapt forward. The beast brought its paw down in a powerful swipe, but Amelia rolled to her left, sinking her sword into its side. The creature howled with rage, and it turned on her with renewed ferocity. Amelia was fast, but she wasn't quite fast enough. One of the beast's powerful blows smashed into her chest, throwing her across the clearing.

"Amelia!" Her friends started forward, but were stopped by the growls of the pack.

Amelia picked herself up. Thankfully she'd kept her grip on her swords. She was hurt, she knew that, but she had to keep going. She ignored the pain and raised her swords again. She dove right back into the fight.

The duel stretched on for what felt like hours. Amelia inflicted dozens of wounds on the beast, but she'd been hit a number of times too. She wasn't sure, but she guessed at least three of her ribs were broken, and she had a large gash on her left thigh. Exhaustion beat down upon her. She couldn't keep going.

No. She would not give up. Not now, not ever. She had been offered this one chance to earn her wings, and no one was going to take that away from her. The beast rushed at her once more. This time, instead of dodging, she stood her ground. At the last second she ducked beneath the creature, stabbing her swords deep into the beast and letting its own momentum gut it. It twitched for a moment, then lay still. The other creatures turned and fled.

"And don't come back!" Amelia yelled. Then she crumpled to the ground.

"We have to get her to Derla!" Dhalia exclaimed. "She needs help!"

"I've got her." Said Reyva. "Let's hurry."

They set out for the safety of Derla's house, hoping they could get there in time.

**A/N: Wow, that was intense. And yes, I did just beat up Amelia again. On the other hand, this was her fight, and she had to do it for herself. So, they've passed the first test. There will be more. On another note, I just saw the new episode. Not going to lie, I have some issues with it. One, with the exception of Flora, they all got their new powers _way_ too easily, particularly Aisha and Stella. Two, the music for new transformation is rather weak. Don't get me wrong, the transformation looks awesome, but the music is really underwhelming, if not downright annoying. Three, I'm sick of the romantic tension surrounding Aisha. BRING BACK NABU! He was my favorite male character in the series because of his personality! Roy has no real personality at all! Four, why is Daphne so useless? She's the "Nymph of Sirenix!" She should be out there with the Winx, not collecting dust in the library of Alfea! Those are the big issues, but there are so many little details that annoyed me too. I had such high hopes for this season, but now I'm really disappointed. Let's hope it gets better from here. I'll see you all next chapter.**


	12. Interlude

**Disclaimer: I don't own Winx Club. If I did then there'd be an explanation as to why the Winx still go to Alfea despite having graduated at the beginning of the first movie. Maybe they're going for their master's degrees or something.**

**Okay, before we get started, I would like to welcome the first readers from Japan, Argentina, Mexico, and Indonesia. It's nice to see new faces. Second, wow. You guys really blew the roof off the curve for daily visits yesterday. This story got two hundred and twenty three views yesterday, nearly twice as many as any other day to date. Thanks again to everyone who's reading this. You guys are the reason I write. Alright, where were we? Oh, that's right. Amelia just got beat up _again_.**

Artis knocked furiously on Derla's door. Behind her Dhalia and Perdi were trying to perform first aid on Amelia while Reyva stood guard. Suddenly he door flew inwards. Derla stood with a small smile on her face.

"Derla!" Artis cried. "Amelia's hurt! We need help."

The smile vanished. "Quick, get her inside." She said. "What happened?"

"We were trapped by these white wolf-bear monsters." Dhalia said. "Amelia challenged their leader to a duel. She killed it, scaring off the others, but she was badly injured."

"The frost hunters?" Derla's eyes widened. "You fought with the frost hunters? I'm amazed that any of you survived. Those things are among the most dangerous creatures in Univix!"

"Who cares what they're called?" Reyva demanded. "Amelia's been injured!"

"Right. Put her on the bed." The Reyva and Dhalia gently placed the unconscious Amelia on one of the beds.

"Will she be okay?" Perdi asked.

"Let me examine her." Derla said, her hands moving across the injured girl's body as gently as a feather. "She's broken two of her ribs, cracked another three, sprained her wrist, and dislocated her shoulder. She also has a concussion. She will recover, but it will take time."

"How much time?" Dhalia asked. "We need to complete our mission."

"Normally it would take about two or three months. I can speed the process up, but she'll still be stuck here for at least four weeks."

"Thank you."

"I'm just glad I can help. You'll need her when you face your next challenge."

* * *

The four girls held a meeting of sorts. "We can't leave Amelia." Artis said.

"No, and we won't." Dhalia said. "But we need to find something to do for the next month or so."

"What I don't understand is how Amelia got so good with those swords." Reyva said. "She seemed like she'd been practicing for years."

"She's from Oppositus." Perdi supplied. "They focus on balance. She probably has been trained with swords."

"We can't let her do all the fighting." Artis said. "We have the time, so why don't we train ourselves to fight?"

"That's an excellent plan." Dhalia said. "Maybe Derla can help us too."

* * *

Amelia awoke in Derla's house. This was becoming a pattern. Gingerly, she sat up. Unlike previous instances, she could tell she wasn't fully healed yet.

"Ah, you're awake." Derla's voice came from the kitchen, quickly followed by Derla who was carrying a tray of food. "Stay in bed, you're far too badly injured to be walking around yet."

"How did I get here?" She asked. "Where are my friends?"

"Your friends brought you here after your fight with the frost hunter. You were too badly wounded for them to handle, so they came to me. That was about two days ago. As for where your friends are right now, they're outside training." Derla walked over. "Now, eat." She commanded.

"How long will I be here?" Amelia asked.

"Normally it would take several months for you to heal. I can speed the process up so you'll only be here for about a month, but only if you eat."

This time Amelia obeyed.

"Drink this." Derla handed Amelia a bottle of foul-smelling blue liquid. "It will help you to heal."

"Ugh. Medicine."

And so the days began to pass. Amelia spent her time in bed recovering while the others practiced with their various weapons. Derla proved to be extraordinarily skilled with each of the weapons, and under her guidance the girls improved rapidly. After two weeks Amelia was allowed to watch from a chair while the others practiced. She couldn't train with them, but she did know a good bit about some of the weapons, particularly the bow. She soon took over coaching Perdi, leaving Derla free to practice with the others.

* * *

The day finally came when Amelia could remove the bindings from her ribs and not feel pain. She was healed. Derla insisted that they remain for another three days so Amelia could recover her strength, but when those three days were up it was time for them to leave again.

The last month had changed them. Artis had lost a great deal of weight, becoming much lighter and faster. Perdi had filled out, and she was beginning to develop some muscle. Dhalia hadn't experienced any real physical transformation, but she seemed more at ease with herself. Reyva hadn't changed much either, but she'd become quieter, less aggressive.

They were ready to face anything this world could throw at them, and this time Univix should be the one that was scared.

**A/N: Okay, slightly short chapter, but it had to be done. Recovering from broken ribs takes a while, and they can't use magic to speed the healing process. Also, the other girls needed the training. They weren't exactly useful against the frost hunters, and Amelia can't handle all the fighting herself, so training montage it is. See you all next chapter.**


	13. Beneath the Surface

**Disclaimer: You guys know the drill, now say it with me: "I do not own Winx Club."**

**Hello again everyone. Alright, I know that last chapter really wasn't up to my usual standards. Not much happened and it was rather short. But this one should be interesting. After all, it's chapter thirteen, and that happens to be my lucky number. On another note, we've just hit the one thousand views mark! Maybe I should do something to celebrate. I know! The next chapter I post, I will answer one question from the readers. No spoilers though. Put your question in a review and when the next chapter is posted, I'll answer the most popular one.**

"So girls, we survived the first test." Amelia said.

"Barely in your case Amelia." Reyva said. "You need to be more careful. That was the third time I've had to carry you while you were unconscious."

"Hey, it's not my fault we got attacked by those witches." She protested. "Although I guess the other two were all my doing."

"Yes, and we'd really appreciate it if you didn't do it again." Artis said. "I'd think you'd be getting tired of waking up in what amounts to a hospital bed."

"It is a little annoying." Amelia said. "They're never very comfortable."

"Alright, then we're in agreement." Dhalia said. "We should move on to the next challenge, and Amelia is NOT allowed to get hurt. Perdi, what does the book say?"

"It doesn't. That's the problem." Perdi said. "From what the book _does_ say it seems like the tests change for each new person or group. It does say that the tests will find us."

"Like how those frost hunters followed us?"

"Exactly. What I can't figure out is whether we actually have to complete the tests in order to find the Well. The book briefly mentions someone who found the Well after only completing two of the tests, but it doesn't say much about it."

"So it is possible to find our way out early?" Amelia asked.

"I guess so."

"Let's pick up where we left off." Dhalia said. "Whether we find the tests first or the Well first, we need to get moving."

* * *

They set off to the Northeast. As they walked the landscape changed around them. First the tree's leaves changed from green to red and gold. Then they were replaced by needles as pines took over.

"Hello." A voice floated through the crisp air.

Five heads snapped up.

"Who's there?" Reyva demanded.

"Hello."

"Come out!" Artis yelled.

"Hello."

"It's coming from over there!" Dhalia pointed.

The five girls ran towards the voice.

"Hello." A bird said.

"A bird?"

They took one more step forward. Then the ground fell out from beneath them. They fell through layers of vines and leaves, landing in a heap.

"Ow." Amelia said.

"That was not ideal." Dhalia said.

"Who's on my foot?" Artis asked.

"I'd get up if Perdi wasn't on my arm." Reyva said.

"Sorry, but I'm all wrapped up in this vine."

Several minutes passed while they slowly got themselves untangled.

"I'm guessing this is the second test." Dhalia said. "We have to figure out how to get out of here."

They were at the bottom of a pit nearly fifty feet deep. In front of them the darkness of a tunnel stretched into the distance. No other exits were visible.

"It's too steep for us to climb out, so we'll have to follow the tunnel." Reyva said. "We'll need light." She grabbed five sticks from the ground, wrapped the ends in cloth and lit them using a match from their supplies. She then handed out the improvised torches to the others.

"I hate tunnels." Dhalia whispered. They set off.

* * *

Several hours passed, and they'd switched torches several times. Fortunately Reyva had the foresight to grab extra sticks. The tunnel seemed endless, but it curved and twisted so much that they had probably gone less than a mile from their starting point. It was impossible to tell for certain, but it was probably late afternoon by now.

Suddenly the tunnel opened up. In front of them yawned a huge chasm.

"Well that's a problem." Dhalia said. "We need to find our way across."

"Hey girls, look at this!" Perdi exclaimed. "There's something written here."

"What does it say?" Artis asked.

"It's written in an ancient language, Old Termaic if I'm not mistaken."

"Can you read it?" Reyava asked.

Perdi looked affronted. "Of course I can read it!" She snapped. Then in a quieter tone: "Mostly."

"Well what does it say?" Amelia asked.

"Well, there are two possible translations. It either reads 'Surrender the light and welcome the night' or else 'Make an offering of the sun to the darkness.'"

"What does that mean?" Dhalia asked.

"I don't know." Perdi said.

"It seems like some sort of riddle." Artis mused. "Surrender the light..."

"I know that tone." Amelia said. "What are you thinking?"

"What if we put out our torches, surrendering our source of light?"

"And welcoming the night?"

"Exactly."

"It's worth a try." Dhalia said, although not without serious misgivings. She hated tunnels, but she wasn't much of a fan of the dark either. Yet another reason she no longer attended Cloud Tower.

"Okay, but I'm going to have a match ready, just in case." Reyva said.

"Probably a good idea." Perdi said.

"Okay, let's do this." Dhalia said.

They extinguished their torches.

"How long do we have to wait?" Amelia asked.

"Let's give it five minutes, then Reyva can light the match."

Five long minutes crawled by. Nothing.

"Alright Reyva, light it." Dhalia said.

Reyva lit her match, then relit the torches. Then she froze. Surrounding the five were dozens of large rat-like creatures. About two feet long, excluding the tail, they looked like rats, except for the leathery wings which sprouted from their backs. They recoiled from the fire, but it was not enough to deter them. One of them swooped towards Reyva.

"Weapons!" Amelia yelled, drawing her swords and slicing the wings from the creature flying towards Reyva. The creature fell with a thud, stunned, and Amelia stabbed the downed animal.

"Perdi! Do you have any idea what these are?" Dhalia said, using her staff to slice one of the vermin in half.

"Derla told me about these things!" Perdi replied, putting an arrow through the eye of one of the beasts. "She called them dragon rats. They live in caves like this one, and they come out at night. They tend to live in large colonies of about a hundred. They hunt as a pack, taking down things much larger than they are."

"How do we stop them?" Artis asked, leaping up and over one of the rats, burying one of her blades in its back.

"They hate light, and especially fire, but it won't stop them if they're determined." Perdi yelled back, shooting an arrow which went straight through one dragon rat and injured the one behind it.

"Then I guess we just have to kill them." Reyva smashed one of the creatures out of the air with her hammer, throwing it into a wall. "We don't have many other options."

"What about the riddle?" Amelia asked, twisting around a dragon rat while stabbing another. "We still need to get out of here!"

"Cover me!" Artis yelled. She dove down and grabbed one of the lit torches.

"What are you doing?" Dhalia demanded.

"Solving two problems at once." Artis said. She dashed towards the edge of the ravine. Then she threw the torch in.

At first nothing happened, and the girls continued to struggle with the dragon rats. Many lay dead or incapacitated, but many more still flew around attacking. All the girls had accumulated some minor injuries, mostly just scratches, but one of the beasts had managed to bite Perdi's leg.

"Artis..." Dhalia said.

"Just trust me!"

Suddenly a brilliant light blazed up from the ravine. Down below a huge lake of oil was burning. The dragon rats fled. In the light they saw a set of stairs leading down into the ravine.

"So that's what it meant!" Perdi said. "Ow!" Her leg gave out.

"Perdi!" Reyva yelled. She and Amelia rushed over and started performing some first aid. Soon Perdi's leg was cleaned and bandaged.

"We need to keep moving." Dhalia said. "We have to get out of these tunnels before more locals show up."

They started down the stairs.

**A/N: For all those who have a fear of rodents, I'm sorry for the dragon rats, but they just sort of came to me and they were the perfect creature to put in the cave. Also, now we know more about why Dhalia left CT. A witch who's afraid of the dark. She was mocked mercilessly of course. As for the whole lake of oil thing, yes that was probably a bit overly dramatic, but it served my purpose. I blame having seen too many movies like Indiana Jones and National Treasure. That, and it's a call back for that picture in Amelia's room. See you all next time.**


	14. Out of the Shadows, Into the Night

**Disclaimer: Do I own Winx Club? Can a bear fly? Using a catapult or other device doesn't count! Now put that bear back where you found it!**

**I had planned to wait for a day or two to let people post their questions, but inspiration for this chapter struck hard. So, instead of doing it this chapter, I will post the question and its answer next chapter. This is what happens when you update as fast as I do: people don't have much time to respond. In other news, even more countries have joined us. Please welcome the first readers from Jamaica and Slovenia.**

**So, where were we? Oh, that's right, overly dramatic burning lake of oil.**

The five young girls descended into the chasm. The flickering light of the burning lake cast eerie shadows which chased each other across the walls and back. Fortunately, it kept the dragon rats at bay. After what felt like hours, they reached the bottom. The wall of the ravine stretched over a thousand feet above their heads.

At the bottom of the stairs they found a path paved with red granite. Wordlessly, they started following it. An oppressive silence fell over the company, as though the air itself weighted them down.

The path led around the burning oil. On the other side of the burning lake was a crystal cave. The light of the fire was shone off the facets of the walls. In the mouth of the cave stood a woman. She stood over seven feet tall, and was garbed in a robe so white it glowed. She was the very image of beauty and majesty.

"I am Allanya." The woman said in a melodious voice which carried through the cave. "And I am the Lady of Magic. I keep watch over the Well. Where it goes, I go. You seek to pass through?"

Unable to find her voice, Amelia nodded. All the others did as well, although Dhalia was frowning. The woman turned and walked into the cave, beckoning for them to follow.

Something about this woman rubbed Dhalia the wrong way. She reminded her of Trina. She was beautiful, gorgeous, and perfect, but there was no warmth in the eyes that sat in that perfect face.

"It is a good thing you found the Well when you did. Four former fairies and one ex-witch? You would never have survived the final test."

"And just what is the final test?" Dhalia asked. It took all of her will to force herself to speak. The silence was overwhelming.

"You needn't worry yourself with that my dear. Soon all your struggles will be over."

Unable to form a response, Dhalia resumed walking.

The woman led them through the crystal cave. In the distance the girls could see a faint but steady light.

"What is that?" Reyva managed to ask. She too had noticed the oddly overpowering quiet around them.

"Oh, that is our destination. The Well stands atop a hill just outside of the cave."

Sooner than they expected, they emerged from the tunnel. They now stood at the base of a grassy hill. In the sky the sun was setting."

"Quickly, you must hurry. Today is the day the Well moves, and if you miss this opportunity then you will likely fail in your task. You have until nightfall."

The girls hurried up to the Well. It certainly looked the part. It was covered in gold and studded with gemstones. Several lines of writing spiraled around the open top. Amelia started towards the Well, ready to dive in. This was what they had come here for! Now she could gain her own magic!

"Stop!" Dhalia yelled, tackling Amelia away from her goal.

"What? Why?" Amelia asked. "We have to go through that Well before the sun finishes setting! It's the only way to get our magic!"

"Yeah Dhalia." Artis put in. "This is the Well."

"If we don't go through it now we may never find it again." Perdi said.

"Girls," Reyva said, "what does this writing say?" She was looking at the spiraling lettering on the well.

"I don't know." Perdi said. "It's probably in a language so old that no one remembers it."

"No." Dhalia said. "It's in a secret language of witches. This isn't the Well of Magic!"

"Then what is it?" Amelia asked. "What else could it be?"

"If this writing is accurate, this is the Well of Monsters." Dhalia said. "If we go through it we will come out as evil beasts filled with dark magic."

"A trap." Reyva turned to the woman who had guided them here. "You lied to us! This isn't the Well of Magic!"

"No." The woman said. "But it is the place where your quest ends!" Her form seemed to melt and flow, slowly changing shape in a stomach-churning process. When her form settled again, the beautiful woman was gone. In her place stood a creature with the body of a massive spider in place of legs, the upper body of a bear, and a snake's head. Huge black feathered wings sprouted from its back, and fire flickered in its mouth. "I am Eclipsis, Queen of Monsters!"

"Scatter!" Dhalia yelled as Eclipsis struck. Her massive paw gouged a hole in the ground. "Perdi, I need everything you know about her, and I need it now."

"But, she's just a myth!" Perdi cried. "A story to frighten small children!"

"She looks plenty real to me!" Amelia yelled, back flipping over a web Eclipsis shot at her.

"What do the myths say about her?" Artis asked.

"She's the immortal queen of monsters. She can take any shape she wants, and she is the most dangerous creature ever to exist."

"How do we beat her?" Reyva asked, side stepping the gout of fire the abomination breathed at her.

"I don't know!" Perdi wailed in desperation. "She's only ever been beaten once and that took five of the greatest magic users the universe has ever seen!"

"Yesss, child." Eclipsis hissed. "The original Company of Light banished me here nearly ten thousand yearsss ago!"

"We can't kill her, and we can't out run her." Perdi said. "We can't win."

"We have to try!" Amelia yelled.

Suddenly Dhalia was struck by a flash of inspiration. "Girls, the Well!"

"Of course!" Reyva said. "We need to drive her towards the Well!"

They drew their weapons and attacked. They may not have been able to kill her, but they certainly could hurt her. They spread out, Artis and Reyva on the right, Dhalia and Amelia on the left, while Perdi stood in the middle. Step by step, they forced the evil creature back, pinning her against the Well of Monsters.

"Now Reyva!" Shouted Dhalia.

Using all her strength, Reyva swung her hammer upwards, catching Eclipsis in the chin. Unbalanced, she fell backwards...right into the Well. She caught herself by splaying her legs, but Reyva walked over.

"Goodbye." She said, and smashed Eclipsis into the darkest depths of the Well of Monsters. The last rays of the sun's light vanished, and the Well with it.

"I think that was the third test." Perdi said. "Now all that's left is the Test of the Past."

"Hopefully it's not as hard as the first three were." Dhalia panted. "Let's make camp in the cave for tonight. Tomorrow we can try to find our way back to Derla's house."

They quickly set up their camp, making sure they had a ready source of fire in case the dragon rats came back.

"Good night." Artis said.

They drifted into the embrace of sleep.

**A/N: One final test. What could it be? You'll find out. Unfortunately, this will be the hardest test of all.  
Sorry Dhalia. No, put the staff down! I gave you that so you could fight the monsters, not so you could skewer me! Put it down right now or you're never going to get out of Univix! Good. Now go back to sleep.  
Sorry folks. She's still not happy with me for putting her through that dark cave. I'll see you all next chapter.**


	15. Revelation on the Mountain

**Disclaimer: I do not own Winx Club. If I did, why would I be writing fan fiction of it?**

**Alright guys, the last two chapters were really dark. So dark in fact that I'm thinking about bumping the rating on the story from K+ to T, because technically, that's where this story probably belongs. However, I happen to disagree with the rating system on this. My main disagreement is with how it rates violence. As long as there's no gratuitous gore, I don't see a problem with letting younger audiences read about a certain level of realistic violence. That's just how the world is, and keeping kids insulated from it does them no favors in the long run. Now, I have no problems with not using foul language or adult themes. Those are reserved for higher rated stories.**

**All right, time to answer a question. Actually, I decided to answer more than one.  
Our first question comes from guest reader Cyborg. Cyborg asked: "How does Derla use magic?" Well, she doesn't. This question was in regards to Derla's treatment of Amelia's wounds in chapter twelve. Derla doesn't use magic. She's simply been here for a very long time and she knows how to make various medicinal brews. Remember the nasty blue liquid? Yeah, that stuff.  
Our second question comes from author PiercetheVeils, who doesn't know the meaning of the words "way too much Monty Python." She asked: "What is everyone's favorite color?" That is an interesting question given the cast I've assembled. Let's start with the easy ones. Dhalia is a fan of purple, although very dark purple isn't really to her liking. Reyva likes black. Artis refuses to tell me what her favorite color is, but I'm guessing it's grey. Amelia has two favorite colors, green and red. The first person to make a Christmas joke about that will be given to Eclipsis for lunch. Perdi doesn't know what her favorite color is. Nor does she care. She just wants to go back to reading her book.  
Last question. This one comes from author rc121, who asked: "Have you been writing this story off the top of your head?" Excellent question. For the most part, yes. I do have a few things planned in advance, but mostly it's just been improvisation. I come up with a situation, put my characters in it, and then let them act it out. Sometimes they surprise even me. For example, I had no idea Dhalia was afraid of the dark until I wrote chapter thirteen. Looking back, it made sense, but when I was writing it I was asking myself "she's afraid of the dark?" I think that's part of the reason this story's been so successful: Not even I can predict exactly what will happen, and I'm the one writing the thing!**

**Alright, now that the Q&A's been dealt with, back to the usual format. Today's announcements: Two days ago we were at one thousand views. Today we're at one thousand two hundred and fifty. Wow. Thanks again to everyone for reading this, even though I'm pretty much just making it up as I go. Oh, one more announcement. I plan, or at least hope, to have this story done by Christmas, New Years Day at the latest. However, you need not despair! I will be writing a sequel! I hope to see you there. Now, back to the story, because this intro was really long.**

The girls woke at first light. They hurried to clear their camp site, putting out the smoldering coals of their fire, gathering up their supplies, and getting ready for a long day. They were lost in the wilderness. Because of how chaotic the tunnels had been, they now had no idea where they were. They needed to find Derla's house again so that they'd have a safe place to rest.

"So, girls." Artis said. "Does anyone have any idea how to figure out where we are?"

"We need to find some higher ground." Dhalia said. "If we can get above the tree tops we can try to spot Derla's house."

They looked around. Trees marched in every direction. The gently rolling hills were covered with them. One hill however rose above the rest. It stood as a giant among pygmies, almost worthy of the title of mountain.

"There." Amelia pointed. "That's our higher ground."

They set off.

* * *

After spending the better part of an hour hiking across the rough terrain, the girls found themselves at the base of the hill. It rose far above them, monolithic in its size.

"Well girls, we're here." Artis said.

Of course, it wasn't that simple. What looked like a gentle slope from a distance was actually a steep wall of rock and dirt. Fortunately, Reyva knew what to do. She pulled out various climbing tools Derla had provided for them. Everything from climbing spikes to rope. Soon she had everyone ready for the excursion.

"Alright ladies, follow my lead." Reyva turned to the wall. The other girls were tied to her with the rope. Reyva was in the lead, followed by Dhalia. Artis was in the third position, and Amelia came immediately after, leaving Perdi to bring up the rear. Slowly, they made their way up the face of the cliff. Reyva's experience allowed them to make fairly good time, and half an hour later they sat atop the wall. The ground lay several hundred feet below, but behind them the top of the hill was waiting. They'd gotten past the hard part, and now all they had to do was make it to the top.

"How do you know so much about climbing?" Amelia asked. "Most fairies wouldn't bother learning."

"Rock climbing was always one of my favorite exercises." Reyva said. "It's a lot of fun."

"Speak for yourself." Artis said, her face slightly greener than normal. She had no problems flying, but this made her nauseous. She constantly felt like she was going to fall.

"That's enough girls." Dhalia said. "We need to keep moving."

They turned and resumed their upward journey.

* * *

When they reached the top they halted. Five figures stood waiting for them.

"Girls, do you see what I see?" Perdi asked.

"I see it, but I don't believe it." Artis said.

"I see them too." Reyva said. "And I don't like it."

"We can't all be hallucinating, can we?" Amelia asked.

"No." Said Dhalia. "I think this is the final test."

Five girls stood facing them. Five very familiar girls.

"We have to face ourselves?" Perdi asked.

"Not quite." Said her doppelganger.

"We are what you once were." Artis's duplicate said.

"We have all your old powers." Reyva's clone intoned.

"In order to pass and enter the Well of Magic, you must defeat us and prove you have grown beyond what you once were." Dhalia's twin stated.

Amelia faced herself. "You must prove you are worthy of what you seek." Her alternate self said. "Prove that you have grown past the need for magic."

Amelia drew a deep breath. "I've learned plenty since I was you. I know now that magic is not what makes a fairy. The fairy is the one who makes the magic. As a wise man once told me, 'Magic isn't the only kind of power. It's a tool, nothing more and nothing less.' Without your magic you are nothing. But we draw our strength from ourselves, and no amount of magic can overcome that."

"We will see."

The two groups faced off.

"Magic Winx!" The past versions cried. They transformed into their old fairy forms. The real girls drew their weapons.

"Let's do this." Amelia said. "I came here to earn my wings, and no one is going to stop me, least of all myself!"

**A/N: I'm sorry for the cliff hanger, but I couldn't resist. Sorry! Anyways, this just got really surreal. And really deadly. Five girls with no magic have to face off against themselves, but with all their old powers. This is going to be exciting.**


	16. Fairies of Future Past

**Disclaimer: Do we really have to go over this again? According to the legal department, yes. I do not own Winx Club. Happy now? Of course not. The legal department is _never_ happy.**

**Hi everyone. Today we welcome the first readers from Portugal, Uruguay, and Macau. Thanks for joining us.**

**Special mention once again to Cyborg, who really should get an account on this site so I can respond in a more personalized fashion to his/her numerous reviews. Yes, the original Company of Light predates Bloom's parents, despite the fact that their Company of Light somehow disbanded centuries before the first movie, yet it was still around when Bloom was born a mere nineteen years before the first movie. Logic FAIL. As for me being a "real author", what makes you think I'm not? I'm currently working on my first book. It's a science fiction story, which I hope to turn into a five part series. It's still in what I refer to as the "expanded outline" stage, but even so it's already over two hundred pages long. I don't expect to finish it for a few more years, but it is in the works. This is really just me practicing, and seeing how my writing will be received. So far it seems to be going quite well. For my fellow author PiercetheVeils, yes, it does leave a lot of unanswered questions. That was intentional on my part, and that's why I'm writing a sequel. Now, let's get on with the- Incoming!**

The five fairies opened the battle with a massive salvo of magic.

"Mist Ball!"

"Static Blast!"

"Gravity Shot!"

"Lingual Shock!"

"Stone Slam!"

Each girl had to dodge the attacks their duplicate threw at them. They paired off, and the battle quickly split into five, with each of the real ones facing their past selves.

* * *

Artis dodged another ball of solid mist. Her doppelganger had raised a fog to surround them, making it impossible to see. Her mind raced, trying to find a way to overcome her past self. Suddenly she was struck by inspiration.

She had changed during their adventures in Univix. She knew what her opponent was capable of, but did her opponent know what she could do? There was only one way to find out.

Dashing to a nearby tree, she rapidly clambered up its side. Her old self could never have done that, let alone do it so quickly, but she was stronger now, and it was no challenge to scale the tree.

"Come out Artis!" She heard beneath her. Her old self was looking for her on the ground. She was almost close enough to jump on. Just two more steps.

Artis thought quickly. She reached up and broke off a stick from the tree. Then she threw it at past-Artis. The stick hit her right above the eye. It wasn't enough to hurt her, but it did annoy her. She took the first step forward. "Hey, that was rude!" She took the second, fatal, step.

Artis leapt from her branch, crashing into her past self and driving her to the ground. They wrestled for a moment, but the real Artis's superior strength prevailed. She pressed her knife against the false fairy's throat. "Give up." She hissed through clenched teeth.

"I do." The fairy Artis said. "You've discovered that stealth isn't the only surprise." The girl dissolved into golden motes of dust which flowed into Artis. The fog lifted, and Artis rose to her feet.

* * *

Reyva swung her head back and forth. Any moment a portal could open and her past self could attack. Thoughts flowed through her mind on how to defeat herself. She just needed to remember who she had been. Suddenly understanding rushed through her. Her past self wouldn't go for any sort of deception, just pure brute force.

She was proven right when a portal opened right in front of her. Instead of trying to smash the emerging fairy, Reyva dropped to the ground, causing the magic attack to sail right over her head. She spun like a top, her legs scything out to bring the fairy down.

The magic girl was caught by surprise as Reyva's kick took her in the knees. She toppled to the ground. Before she could recover, the real Reyva was on her back, pressing her knee into the spot between her wings. "Surrender, or I'll have to hurt you."

"I give." The other girl said. "You have grown cleverer since you surrendered your powers." She broke apart into golden powder. The dust flew into Reyva.

* * *

Perdi was struggling with herself. So far she'd managed to dodge the various attacks her old self had thrown at her, but she couldn't keep it up. She had to come up with an answer. Wait, that's it! Her old self knew a great deal, but she lacked creativity. Change the rules and she was lost. She glanced around and spotted Dhalia, who was dodging tendrils of electricity her clone was sending after her.

"Dhalia, switch with me!" Perdi yelled.

Dhalia nodded. She turned away from her opponent, leapt over Perdi, and landed a kick squarely in the fake Perdi's chest.

Perdi started firing arrows at the fairy Dhalia, who didn't seem to know how to cope with the sudden change of opponent. She scorched some of the arrows out of the air with her electrical powers, but one went through one of her wings, pinning her to a tree.

Perdi glanced over where Dhalia had the old Perdi on the ground with the blade of her staff pointed at her face. Perdi drew another arrow and aimed at the other Dhalia, but did not fire.

"Give it up now." Dhalia said.

"We do." The two fairies spoke in unison.

"You have learned to trust others." Said the past Dhalia to the real Dhalia. "You have friends you can fight beside without fear."

"And you Perdi," The old Perdi said, "Have learned not to be bound by what you know. The truth is what you make it."

The two dissolved into dust.

* * *

Amelia could not overcome her opponent. She had tried everything, every trick she could think of, but her past self always had an answer. And now she was starting to tire. "Wind Blast!"

Too tired to dodge, she deflected the sphere of hardened air with her swords.

"Earth Cage!" The real Amelia realized too late what was happening. The ground rose up around her encasing her in stone all the way up to the neck. Amelia the fairy descended. She stepped in closer, her hands glowing with energy as she readied her final attack.

I can't win. Amelia thought. At least, not by myself. She had to give up her pride.

"Girls, I can't do this alone." She said. "I need your help!"

The fairy Amelia brought her hands together. "Seismic Storm!" A sphere of combined magic flew from her hands towards the immobilized fairy. Just before it hit it was smashed into the sky by a hammer. Reyva grinned, then smashed Amelia's prison.

Dhalia and Perdi ran over. "We're here!"

Artis seemed to just appear behind Amelia. "We won't let you down!"

The five girls gathered together, facing the lone fairy.

"No fair, this fight is between the two of us!" The old Amelia cried.

"You fight one of us, you fight all of us." Dhalia said.

"We're a team." Reyva said.

"And we won't leave our friends in need." Perdi said.

"We were with Amelia from the beginning." Artis said. "We're not leaving now."

Tears welled up in Amelia's eyes. She was proud to call these girls her friends.

They attacked as one, working together like a fine tuned machine. Perdi kept up a constant barrage of arrows, forcing the old Amelia to dodge, while Dhalia and Reyva spread out to the sides, flanking the fairy. Artis came up behind her, daggers flashing, while the real Amelia went toe to toe with her past. As fast as the old Amelia was, and as strong as her magic was, she could not evade five opponents at once.

Amelia stabbed forward with both swords. At first everyone believed she had missed. The old Amelia looked confused. The real Amelia grinned. Two objects fell from the old Amelia's ears. The swords had severed the earrings from the girl. Her form flickered and died, leaving just an ordinary girl.

"Give up." Amelia said. "You couldn't beat us even with your magic."

"I concede." The old Amelia said. "You have learned to let others help you. You can't do everything on your own." With that she dissolved into dust, just as the others had. The golden motes drifted over to Amelia where they merged with her.

"Well girls, we've passed all the tests." Amelia said. "Now what?"

She was answered by the sound of a pair of hands clapping. From between the trees stepped Derla. "Congratulations girls. You may now pass through the Well of Magic."

"Derla?" Artis exclaimed in astonishment. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm afraid my name isn't really Derla." Said the woman. "I am Allanya. The true Lady of Magic."

"But, how?" Perdi asked.

"Everything I told you was the truth, except for two things. My name was one of them."

"And the other?" Reyva asked.

"Was the identity of my friend who failed in her quest."

"Who?" Dhalia asked.

Allanya looked down.

"It was Eclipsis, wasn't it?" Amelia said. "She made the mistake of passing through the Well of Monsters, didn't she?"

"Yes." Allanya said. "She became the first monster to stalk the Magical Dimension. I along with Arcadia, Wirena, the first witch, Gorman, the first wizard, and Pelia, the first Pixie fought her, eventually sealing her back in this world. How did you know?"

"We fought Eclipsis at the Well of Monsters. We defeated her by pushing her in."

Allanya's face went white. "You did not defeat her. You freed her!"

All five girls suddenly lost their feeling of triumph. What had they done?

"You must return to reality. She will be weak from her journey, but she will bide her time, eventually returning to her full strength. You must find a way to defeat her."

"We will." Amelia promised. The others nodded in agreement.

A small stone well appeared before them. It didn't look all that spectacular, but they could feel its power. "We won't let you down." Amelia said. The five girls jumped into the Well.

* * *

(Cue transformation music)

Five fairies emerged into the Golden Kingdom.

Reyva wore a skintight black jumpsuit. Faint green lines formed a grid across it's surface. Large wings sprouted from her back. Stars and planets seemed to float across them.

Perdi was clad in white shorts and a shirt, with a light blue robe falling from her shoulders to mid-thigh. Her wings were just as large as Reyva's, but letters and numbers danced through them.

Dhalia was wearing a very bright purple shirt with a matching skirt. Her wings were alive with energy.

Artis's wore a one piece shirt and skirt combination. It was white at the top, but it gradually darkened as it descended her body, with the hem of her skirt being as black as night. Her wings seemed to flicker ever so slightly.

Amelia wore a brilliant green sleeveless shirt with a matching skirt. Dark red fingerless gloves covered her forearms. Strange mystical patterns seemed to move and shift in the beating of her new wings.

"Welcome back, new fairies." Aracadia said. "You have unlocked the original fairy transformation: Magix!

"Reyva, you are now the Fairy of Reality.

"Perdilla, you are now the Fairy of Thought.

"Dhalia, you are now the Fairy of Energy.

"Artis, you are now the Fairy of Time.

"And Amelia, you are now the Fairy of Magic.

"Use your new powers wisely, and the universe will prosper."

_To be continued..._

**A/N: This story is over. But the adventure is just beginning. They have earned their wings, but in doing so unleashed the greatest evil ever known upon the world. Can they undo their mistakes? And if they can, at what price? Keep an eye out for the sequel, because these questions will be answered.**

**A few notes about the Magix transformation:  
One, it was not named after the city. In this story, the city was named after the transformation.  
Two, this is not some ultimate power. It's strong, true, but it's only slightly stronger than Enchantix.  
Three, the wings are similar in design to Believix wings, but the outfits are, well, what I described.  
**

**Oh, and I guess I lied. "Derla" can use magic. Sorry!**


	17. Acknowledgements

**This isn't part of the story so the legal department can go bother someone else. No disclaimer here.**

What an exciting trip it's been. From its first chapter to its final, this story took less than two weeks to write. But you know what, none of it would have happened without you guys, my readers. You inspired me to keep writing, even when I probably should have been doing other things, such as sleeping. In particular, I would like to thank some of the people who have been here from the beginning.

You all know PiercetheVeils has been a constant companion for me throughout this story, but I'd like to thank her once again for her numerous wonderful reviews and continuous support.

Cyborg, you really need to get your own account. That would make it so much easier to chat with you. I want to thank Cyborg for (his? her?) many reviews and dedication to this story.

rc121 joined the party a little later, but has provided several thought provoking reviews and a great deal of support. Thank you.

Once again, credit goes to Akela Victoire and her story "Magic Winx! Fanfictionix!" for providing the inspiration for this story. I'm still not sure whether thanks or accusations are in order.

Also, we have two other people who deserve recognition for putting up with me talking about the idea for this when it was still in its early stages. At the time it seemed almost drug inspired. Without their support this story would never have existed. Now come out from behind the stage.

FunahoMisaki, a girl who's even crazier than I am. (And that takes some doing, believe me.)

Roxy Fan 4 Ever. He's been doing this for years, and was an excellent resource for ideas.

Thank you both for putting up with me before this story made any sense at all.

I think that's everyone. Thank you all for your support for both me and my story.

If you liked this, the sequel is now up, under the title _The War of the Beast_.


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